The Price of Friendship
by BerryGolden
Summary: Rachel Berry is the daughter of famous actress Shelby Corcoran. When Shelby has to work on a movie out of the country, Rachel is sent to live with her wealthy father in Lima. When her father finds out she's being bullied at school by none other than Quinn Fabray, he makes the Cheerio an offer she cannot refuse. "What's the one thing you've always wanted? Money being no object."
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! So i started writing this story like a year ago and i had posted it on here but after a while i just became so uninspired and took it down. It was really foolish of me to do that. Recently i realized that i really love this story and i want to finish it. So here it is! For those of you who were reading it before i took it down, it's going to be the same. Only minor changes. You probably won't even notice them because you've probably forgotten this story. Anyways... hope you all enjoy it! **

**disclaimer: I do not own Glee. **

* * *

"Rachel, you're going and that's that!" Her mother said sternly for the umpteenth time.

She didn't want to accept it. She couldn't. There was no way she was leaving New York to go live in some insignificant town full of ignorant fools. She didn't deserve to be demoted to live in Lima just because her mother had to film out of the country. It was unnecessary. She was old enough to stay home for two months. It wasn't like she was a wild child. No, she was far from that. She was responsible and trustworthy. Why couldn't her mother trust her to take care of herself? She was a grown woman for crying out loud.

"Mom, I understand that you're doing this as a precaution. You don't feel safe leaving your responsible seventeen year daughter to fend for herself for two months, but I assure you, I will be just fine being here on my own. I carry my phone and rape whistle with me at all times and I also know a little self-defense. If anything, I can utilize my amazing high kick to incapacitate any attacker." Rachel said brightly, as if she's almost convinced her mother will agree.

Too bad that wasn't the case.

"No," Shelby deadpanned. She wasn't going to leave her daughter alone for two months. She trusted her and she _did_ believe she could take care of herself, but what kind of mother would that make her? She had always told herself she would be the best mother she could possibly be and leaving her daughter alone in a New York City penthouse apartment for approximately two and a half months wasn't going to win her mother of the year.

Rachel pouted. She couldn't lose this argument. She didn't want to leave the only place she's ever known. New York was the one true place she knew she belonged. Broadway was in New York. On any given day, if Rachel ever felt sad or upset, she never failed to attend a Broadway play or musical. It was the one thing that always managed to cheer her up. The way Rachel looked at it, New York was being pulled away from her like Sophie's daughter.

"Can I stay with Blaine instead?" Rachel voiced one of the many options she had come up with in her head. She seemed hopeful. Blaine was her best friend… and gay. They met when they were eight years old. Blaine's mother was a producer on Broadway and Rachel's mother had been cast as the lead in the musical Blaine's mother was producing. They met during a rehearsal and hit it off.

Shelby sighed. "Rachel, as much as I love Blaine and trust him to not let you get into trouble, I can't do that."

Rachel's face fell almost instantly.

"He has parents, Rachel. Loraine is working really hard on this new play she's producing and I don't think having you prancing around her home is going to help much. Besides, I heard Cooper's coming back from LA to audition for a musical. Loraine told me he was going to be staying with them. Where would you sleep?" Her mother questioned.

Rachel stood still for a second. Every time her and Blaine had sleep overs at his place she would sleep in Coop's room. It wasn't going to be possible this time around.

"I could always share a bed with Blaine?" she offered. Shelby narrowed her eyes at Rachel.

"Honey, I understand Blaine is gay, but he's still a boy and boys need their space—especially if they're teenage boys," her mother laughed humorlessly.

Rachel looked at her mother with bewilderment. She didn't really understand what the context of her mom's last comment was but it wasn't the appropriate time to discuss it. She was still trying to get out of going to Ohio to live with her dad.

The brunette jumped off her queen sized bed with a frustrated sigh. Her mother ignored her sigh of discontent and continued to pack up Rachel's things. Rachel walked over to her closet where her mother was and stopped her from pulling her clothes off the hangers.

"If I can't stay in New York then why can't I just go with you," Rachel pouted. She was desperate, so she was bringing out the big guns. Almost instantly her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip quivered. Rachel Berry was about to cry herself out of this situation. _Thank god I perfected my skills of crying on demand at the age of five, _Rachel thought.

Shelby looked into Rachel's tearful eyes, instantly regretting making eye contact with her. It wasn't fair. Rachel had been using that sad―yet adorable—expression since she was five years old to get her anything she wanted. Her resolve was slowly crumbling. She couldn't let this happen, not again.

"Rachel, I can't just take you out of the country for two months. Besides, you have school-," Rachel was about to interrupt but Shelby held her hand up to stop her. It was time for Rachel to listen.

"I know a tutor would help but the answer is still _no_. I'm going to be very busy and won't have time to look over you. Last time I had you on set you could barely stay in one spot. I had security search for you on more than one occasion. I don't want to have to worry about you while I'm working, Rachel."

Rachel's face fell. She was certain her tears would work this time. It almost always worked… almost.

"I just don't know why you want to send me to dad's. He's going to be just as busy as you are. He runs a billion dollar company. I doubt he's going to take time off to spend time with me. I hardly get a chance to talk to him," she complained.

Rachel loved her dad, and to be completely honest, she really missed him and didn't mind seeing him, but why did she have to go to Lima? If her dad could stay with her in New York for two months while her mom worked out of the country, it'd be ideal. She loved it when her dad came to visit her in New York. Life was never boring with her dad around. She just wished he lived closer to her and her mom―at least in the same state.

Shelby took a hold of Rachel's hand and walked her over to her bed. Both mother and daughter took a seat. Rachel looked at her mother's face. She was tired, exhausted. This definitely wasn't easy on her. For a second Rachel felt guilty for putting so much stress on her mom. She just wanted to understand why she had to leave her home in New York for Ohio.

"Look honey, the thing is, when I first talked to your father about taking this role, he was the one to suggest that you stay with him, not me. He really misses you," her mother told her. Rachel looked into her mother's eyes to see if she was being sincere and she found nothing but honesty in her mother's dark green eyes.

"He really wants me to go?" Rachel mumbled as she played with her hands in her lap.

Shelby nodded. "Yes. He was so excited when I told him I would consider it. He really wants to spend time with you. He feels horrible for being so absent in your life. You've grown up so much over the past couple of years and he wants to get to know more of the mature you. He didn't believe me when I told him you were starting your senior year of high school," she chuckled. "He thought you were going to be a sophomore."

Rachel should have been offended by her father's lack of attention, but she found it to be funny. A small smile graced her lips.

"I can't believe he told you all that," she smiled.

"He did. You'd be surprised at how much me and your father talk," she chuckled.

Rachel raised an eyebrow in question. She ever hardly heard her parents speak to each other on the phone.

"Your father and I may have not worked out, but we still love each other very much. He's my best friend. So believe me when I say that he's really committed to spending time with you. He really wants you there, sweetie," Shelby smiled.

After hearing her mother's explanation she found herself thinking that it might not be so bad after all.

"Well, since he's very adamant about having me stay with him, then I guess there's nothing I can do about it. I miss him dearly and I don't mind going now that I know his intention. I was just afraid he wouldn't pay much attention to me," Rachel admitted.

It broke Shelby's heart to hear her daughter speak that way, but she knew it was true. Hiram was a really busy man and could barely manage to call Rachel a couple of times a week. But she knew he was serious this time. It was his last chance to bond with his daughter before she went off to college. He regretted working so much and not taking time off to spend time with his only daughter.

Shelby gave her daughter a kiss on her forehead and smiled. "You'll have a good time, I promise."

Rachel smiled back. "So what time is my flight?"

XxX

Hours later Blaine sat on Rachel's bed scanning through a magazine while she packed for her trip to Ohio.

"Rach, I don't mean to sound needy or anything, but how am I supposed to go two months without you? I barely made it this summer when I had to go to the Hamptons for two weeks with my family. You're going to be gone for two months! Do you know how much I'm going to miss you?" Blaine whined. He never liked to rant or complain but he was going to miss his best friend.

Rachel's heart fluttered. It made her feel good that she was wanted and loved by her best friend. Unfortunately for him, she had no choice but to go. She didn't want to miss the opportunity to spend quality time with her father now that he seemed to want to bond with her.

"Trust me. I'm going to miss you too. I'm not going to know anybody over there. What if everybody there hates me?" she replied nervously.

"I'm sure you'll do fine. You're Rachel Barbra Berry. You're a star! You shouldn't worry about those people. Everyone's going to love you," Blaine assured.

Rachel scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, just like everyone at Dalton loves me? Please, our peers only pretended to like me because of my famous mother. The only real friends I have are you, Jesse, and Harmony."

Blaine couldn't deny it, not many people liked Rachel, but it was only because she was really the only talented one in their entire school. The other kids there were just condescending jerks with no real talent―intelligence maybe, but not talent.

He stood from the bed and walked over to where Rachel sat on the ground. She was folding her clothes and packing them neatly into her suitcase. Rachel had tons of skirts to fit in there.

"Look," he took a seat next to her on the ground, "You are a smart, beautiful, and talented girl. The kids from our school are pretentious jerks who choose to ignore what's great. Now tell me, is this place in Ohio anything like here?"

"No!" Rachel blurted out. Lima was nothing like upper eastside Manhattan. It was a small, middle class town. It didn't even compare to upper class Manhattan.

Blaine found Rachel's shocked expression amusing. Obviously he had no idea how Lima compared to New York, but if the look on Rachel's face said anything, it said that it was nothing close to being like the city.

"Then don't start assuming that they won't like you. If those kids are anything like me, they'll love you."

Rachel's eyes stung with tears. It was nice to hear her best friend speak that way about her. It had been a while since they both had a heart to heart and she really needed a good cry before leaving.

The tiny diva wrapped her arms around Blaine and hugged him fiercely.

"I'm going to miss you, B," she whispered into the crook of his neck.

He chuckled and ran his hand through her hair. "I'm going to miss you too, Rach. Heck, I might even go visit you if the pain of not having you around becomes unbearable."

Rachel squealed. "Don't mess with me, Anderson. Will you really go visit me?" she asked, her chocolate brown eyes expressing nothing but hope.

Blaine smiled at his best friend. "Of course I will. I've never been to Ohio before. It could be fun."

Rachel stood from her spot on the floor and began to dance in celebration. She was so happy Blaine was planning to visit her while she stayed in Lima. Maybe this trip wasn't going to be too bad after all?

XxX

Quinn Fabray was never one for gossip. She hardly listened to anything her friends or other kids from school had to say if it didn't concern her. But when Santana called her up to tell her she had some juicy news regarding a certain local billionaire, she was intrigued.

"Come over," Quinn spoke into her cell before hanging up. She walked over to her window and looked out into the street. She was lucky that her best friend lived only a few houses away. Quinn's house was at the end of the cul-de-sac so she could see Santana making her way over to the Fabray house.

Quinn rushed downstairs when Santana reached the end of her driveway. She opened the front door to her house and Santana walked right in. Both girls were wearing their Cheerios t-shirt and shorts. They had just had practice a couple of hours prior and had gone home to shower when Quinn got the call from Santana.

"Let's go up to my room. My mom's in the kitchen making dinner," Quinn told her and ran upstairs with her best friend following behind her. When they got to Quinn's bedroom both girls hopped on her giant bed and got comfortable.

"Ok, what's up? What's the big news about billionaire Berry?" she questioned.

Santana smirked. "So, you know how my mom works for Berry, right?"

Quinn nodded. Santana's mother was probably one of the highest paid secretaries in the country. Not many people had the opportunity to be secretary to a billionaire.

"Well today Berry's assistant didn't show up because of a family emergency or something so he had my mom do all the unimportant stuff that his assistant usually does," she explained. Quinn nodded as she went along, "and one of the things she had to do was call up billionaire Berry's pilot and schedule a private flight from New York to Dayton."

Quinn furrowed her eyebrows. Was that the news? That Berry was having his pilot fly out to Dayton?

"San, please tell me there's more to this story because right now you're boring me," Quinn deadpanned. She had more productive things to do.

"Hold your fucking horses Fabray, I'm not finished," Santana hissed. Quinn rolled her eyes. "So what I was saying before you opened your big mouth," she glared, "was that the flight was scheduled for Berry's daughter."

Quinn's eyes went wide. _Billionaire Berry has a daughter?_ She couldn't believe it. Hiram Berry had lived in Lima longer than she could remember and not once had she known that he had a daughter. In fact, she didn't think anyone knew he had a child. Surely her parents would have mentioned it once. Before Quinn's father left her and her mother, he used to work for Berry as one of his lawyers. Quinn had met Mr. Berry on several occasions too. He was a nice man, very handsome. He was one of youngest billionaires in the world. He was only in his early forties. How was it possible that he had a child?

"Shocking right? That fine piece of man has a kid, and not just a kid, but a teenage girl. My mom asked about her and why Berry never mentioned having a kid before and he told her he was embarrassed that everyone would think he was a deadbeat because he never brought her around. Turns out he visits her at least once a month and they spend every holiday together. She's seventeen years old," Santana smirked mischievously.

Quinn quirked an eyebrow, "She's our age?"

Santana nodded. "And get this. She's going to be staying in Lima for over two months. Berry also had my mom enroll her at McKinley. She's going to be going to school with us."

Quinn didn't know what to say or even think. Her whole life she had known the exact same people. A couple of them had moved away, but no one ever moved to Lima. The last person to move to Lima was Sam and several of her classmate's had already known Sam because his grandmother lived there and the Evans' would visit every summer. It wasn't until last year that his grandmother had gotten very sick and they decided to move to town. He was hardly a stranger.

Now, someone who Quinn knew absolutely nothing about was going to come into her world. The scariest part was that she didn't know whether to be nervous about this intruder or not. If there was one thing Quinn cared about most, it was her popularity. She didn't need a girl to come in and steal that away from her.

"Did your mom find out anything else about her?" Quinn asked indifferently.

Santana smirked. "Sure did. Her name's Rachel Berry and she lives in New York. According to my mom, the last past three years she attended this top notch high school in Manhattan for like super smart rich kids. She has a 4.5 GPA and has all AP classes this upcoming semester. She's gotten Honor Roll for six semesters in a row, and according to her transcript, was ranked number two in her class at her old school," Santana said, slightly impressed. The only person she knew that was that smart was Quinn, and even then, Quinn didn't have a 4.5 GPA. She didn't even know GPA's went up that high.

Quinn tried not to seem nervous, but on the inside she was a wreck. This girl could possibly ruin her perfect image of miss popularity. The only thing that could make it all worse was if this girl was a cheerleader.

"Does your mom know if she's a cheerleader?" Quinn asked nonchalantly. She pretended to look at her nails.

"No, I don't think so. But my mom did say that Berry told her his daughter was a ballet dancer and was 'musically talented'. She must play the flute or some shit like that," Santana shrugged.

Quinn nodded, but this new information didn't make her feel any better. Just because there was no knowledge of the new girl being a cheerleader didn't mean she wasn't one. If she was a ballet dancer then that meant she was somewhat athletic. Quinn didn't like this, not one bit.

"Well I hope this girl doesn't think she can come here and suddenly think she's the best just because her daddy practically owns half the town. I've been on top since I was a freshman and no Gossip Girl wannabe is going to change that," Quinn said icily.

She needed to let Santana know that she wasn't going to back down. That she wasn't afraid of this new girl.

Santana looked at her and smirked. She already had something planned for girl-Berry and she was sure Quinn was going to go along with it.

"Well if that's the way you feel, then you won't be pissed when I tell you that I signed us up to be on the welcoming committee," Santana snickered.

Quinn narrowed her eyes at Santana. "What the hell are you talking about Santana?"

Santana's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Nothing says 'welcome' more than an ice cold slushie facial."

* * *

**I should be posting more chapters soon. I have them written already :) Review pls!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi guys! I am so shocked by how many of you were actually reading this story. Thank you so much for your continued support. And for those of you who asked, I took down the story when i got around chapter 12-13. I'll be posting a chapter every day since they're already written. I'm just revising some of them. Thank you all again for continuing to read this story. **

**disclaimer: I do not own glee.**

* * *

It was sunny and breezy when Rachel stepped off her father's private plane. It had been one of the most comfortable plane rides she had ever taken. Usually she would fly commercial but this time her father made sure to send his private jet to pick her up. It made her feel special.

As she sat her foot down on the pavement, she looked back up at the plane and smiled when she saw her and her father's signature gold star painted on the back end of the plane. It was her father who had instigated her fascination with gold stars. She was five years old when it began. Her father had just taken over her granddaddy's company after he passed away and suddenly there were gold stars everywhere. The company which had once been called Berry&Berry Enterprises had suddenly changed its name to GoldStar Enterprises. When little Rachel asked her daddy why he liked gold stars so much, he answered by saying, "You, your mommy and me, we're all stars. These gold stars are a metaphor for us being stars and metaphors are important." Rachel never forgot her father's words.

The company logo was everywhere—on buildings, on billboards, in newspapers. Everywhere she went it was there and it always reminded her of how big of a star she was going to be. She was going to shine just as bright as her mom and dad. She was going to be famous and influential. She wanted to inspire people with her voice and acting abilities. She wanted to be the biggest star of all.

Rachel smiled brightly at the star before turning away. Her heart stopped when she saw her dad standing a few yards away. She held her hand up to her heart. It had only been a couple of months since she last saw him but it felt a lot longer than that. He stood there watching her with a big smile on his face. He looked so handsome with his black suit, hair perfectly coiffed and clean shaven face. Her daddy definitely knew how to take care of himself.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to come and give your papa a big hug?" he grinned.

Almost instantly Rachel broke out into a sprint and ran into her daddy's arms. He staggered back a little but managed to get a hold of the tiny diva and hug her fiercely. He missed her so much. He really couldn't believe how mature she looked. She actually had curves now and breasts. He could feel them against his stomach as he hugged her. _When in the hell did she get those?_ He didn't know if she had just barely gotten them or if he really hadn't noticed the last time he saw her. He just hoped Shelby didn't let her get a boob job. Hiram didn't want his daughter to be one of _those_ girls.

He pulled back so he could get a better look at his little girl. Her silky brown hair was now long and past her shoulders, her big brown eyes were more beautiful than ever, and her smile was just radiant. His cheeks were hurting from how much he was smiling. His little girl had grown up to be a stunning young woman.

"I'm so glad you're here, sweetheart." He took Rachel into his arms again. She smiled against his chest. She was glad to be there too. Not in Ohio, specifically, but with her dad.

"I missed you very much," her father spoke. She looked up at him. He was so tall. It made her feel small but also safe. It was the kind of security she really never experienced. She was seventeen and still no boyfriend. The only hugs she knew were Blaine's and her mothers and they were both relatively small.

"I missed you too, daddy. I'm actually glad to be here with you. I honestly never thought I would ever come to Lima and stay with you," she chuckled nervously.

"Hey, Lima's not that bad," her father defended. He was being playful with her. It was the one thing she loved about her dad. Things never got awkward between them.

"I know, but I lived in New York all my life and you have to admit daddy, things just aren't the same here as they are there," she snickered.

"That is true," he agreed, "but Lima's grown a lot since the last time you stayed with me. It has a mall now and shopping centers. There are even several restaurants that have vegan menus. Now I call that improvement."

Rachel laughed, "Oh yeah, large improvement daddy. Let me know when Lima gets a Time Square."

Her father gave her a nudge and she rammed her hip into his leg. They were being playful again. She missed this. Her and her mother had their playful moments but it was never the same as her dad. He liked to be playful but never really got rough. Her mother on the other hand, got a little rough sometimes during their pillow fights. The last fight they had led to a concussion. Never again would she participate in another pillow fight. Not even if Barbra herself participated.

Hiram escorted his daughter to the SUV while two men behind them carried Rachel's luggage. She didn't know if she would be buying more clothes when she got here so she decided to bring more than half of what she had in her closet. She felt bad for the men carrying her suitcases because they were pretty heavy. She had six suitcases in total. She hoped they would all fit in her dad's car.

"Did you bring your entire closet or what? Rick and Steve seemed to be struggling back there," her father joked.

Rachel pouted. "Well I didn't know how much clothes I was going to bring so I brought what I thought I was going to need."

Hiram chuckled and held the brunette to his side tightly. "Don't worry, Sweetheart. We'll definitely visit some of the shops in Columbus if you need help filling up your closet at home."

XxX

After some lunch and a light conversation, Rachel and her father were finally on their way home. When they reached the city limits of Lima, Rachel noticed that the small town had indeed expanded over the last several years. As they drove through the city, Rachel noticed that many of the buildings had been rebuilt. Downtown Lima had gotten a complete makeover and all the streets had been newly paved. Not to mention the streets signs and lights looked brand new.

"Daddy?" Rachel called.

Hiram turned to his daughter. She was looking out the window with curiosity. "Yeah pumpkin?"

"Did you buy all of these buildings?" she questioned.

"How did you know?" he smirked. Rachel smiled. She knew her father more than he realized.

"Well it screams 'renovated' and I know your taste in design. You definitely hired your guys to fix up those buildings. Did you also build the mall too?" she joked.

Her father stayed quiet. Rachel's eyes widened dramatically. "No! You're kidding! You wouldn't buy a mall! Is that even possible?" she shrieked.

Her father began to laugh. "Of course it's possible. It's real estate. All I had to do was buy the land and build it. There's a lot of paperwork that goes into it, but if you know business then it's easy."

Rachel was shocked. She didn't know about business or real estate so she didn't know if it was possible to own a mall. She always believed malls were owned by the city's local government. This was somewhat exciting news. Her father owned a mall!

"Daddy that is so cool! Does that mean I can shop for free?" she asked sweetly.

Hiram let out a chuckle. "No sweetie, it's not that simple. I own the mall, but I don't own the businesses that occupy it. I rent out the space and I gain profit from their business, although, I do get offered free food at the food court when I stop by."

"So you're like a land lord?" Rachel asked. He nodded. She understood completely now.

"I never knew business and real estate could be so interesting," she commented. All she really cared about was Broadway and _show_ business, not actual business.

"I'm glad my job intrigue's you, honey," her dad grinned. "Maybe I'll take you to work with me one day. We've never had 'take-your-child-to-work day' before."

"I'd love that," Rachel smiled.

Once they began to drive past these big homes, Rachel knew they were near their destination. These houses were mansions. They were all pretty big and most of the neighborhoods were gated.

"Are we almost there? It seems like you would live around here?" Rachel said in awe of the giant homes.

"No, this is Lima Heights. I used to live here, but not anymore. I sold my house to this nice family. They actually have a daughter your age―pretty girl. I live much farther out. I wanted my new house to be private, no neighbors. My old neighbors were very nosy, always trying to catch me doing something scandalous. I didn't like that," he scoffed.

Rachel nodded. She loved her privacy. In New York, she didn't have neighbors because her mother owned the entire top floor of their building. She only knew their doorman, Eric. She never had to worry about nosy neighbors, only sneaky reporters.

After ten more minutes of driving, Rachel finally got a tiny glimpse of the house she would be staying at for the next two months. Her jaw was practically in her lap. The home was enormous! Not just the house itself, but the land surrounding it. There was a very tall fence surrounding the property and it seemed to go on for miles. It must have been the privacy her father needed. A ten foot fence would totally keep neighbors—if there were any―out of his property.

"Wow, daddy your home is beautiful," Rachel said in awe as they drove up to the entrance. There was a tall black steel gate with her signature star on it and a big 'B' in the middle. It made Rachel smile.

"It's your home too, honey. I really hope you like it. I had it designed with you in mind. Just wait til we actually get up close. It's half a mile to get up to the house. I made it so if there were ever any intruder's it'd take them a while to get to the house. By the time they get there the security dogs would be released."

Rachel gasped. She thought that only happened in movies. She didn't think her dad would actually have guard dogs.

"You must be kidding. You don't actually have trained guard dogs, do you?" she asked, afraid of his response.

"I do," he said with a straight face. "The crime rate in Lima isn't very high, but I still take precaution. When I'm not home, the laser security system is activated and covers the entire perimeter of the house, alongside the steel fence. If any of the lasers gets triggered, it releases the dogs," her dad explained. She was still a bit stunned by the entire thing.

"So if I try to jump the fence right now, your dogs will come out to get me?" Rachel inquired with curiosity.

"You, jump a fence? I'd like to see that," Hiram snorted.

"It's hypothetical, daddy," Rachel deadpanned. Her father still thought it was funny.

"Well in that case, if you hypothetically jumped ten feet high and over the fence, you would trigger the lasers that run on top of the fence. The lasers are at least two feet in height starting from the top of the fence. So yes, you would be chased around by Marley, Kitty, Brody, and Sugar. They're Giant Schnauzers."

Rachel looked at her father with bewilderment. "Kitty? You named your guard _dog_ Kitty?"

"Yeah," he chuckled, "I thought you'd appreciate the irony of it."

Rachel smiled. "It's cute. Do I get to meet them or are they too vicious for me to even come close?" Rachel didn't have much experience with dogs. She always saw them and would go up to pet them when she'd go running in Central Park, but she never really had a pet of her own.

He shook his head. "No, you can meet them. They are actually very friendly. They're just trained to go after intruders or anybody they feel threatened by. You'll love them."

Rachel nodded. There were going to be a lot of things she was going to have to get used to. But it was going to be a great experience.

Her dad put his window down and reached out to the security panel. If she knew her father well, then it was a very advanced system.

She leaned forward so she could see what he was doing. She saw him press a green lit button.

"State your name please?" a woman's voice spoke from the panel. Hiram was about to speak but stopped and turned to Rachel.

"Why don't you do the honors, baby girl? Just state your full name," Hiram encouraged.

Rachel was excited, even though she didn't know how saying her name could be so thrilling.

"Rachel Barbra Berry," she said cheerfully. She heard a beep and immediately the gate opened.

"Welcome home, Miss Berry," the woman's voice spoke warmly. Rachel's face lit up. She couldn't believe she was actually being welcomed by the security panel. Hiram's heart swelled when he noticed how thrilled his daughter was. He had programmed her voice DNA into the system so she had access to the entire grounds.

"Daddy that was incredible! I have never seen such advance technology before except in the movies. When did you get that? And how did you program it so it recognized my voice?" Rachel asked as they drove up the long and winding driveway.

"I had it programed when the house was built. I recorded one of our conversations and had your voice DNA put into the system. Mine and your mother's is also programed," he explained.

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows. "You programmed mom's voice, too?" She was a little surprised since her mother and father weren't together. They were only married for about a year and then then decided to split up when Rachel was only six months. Her father lived in New York until she was five year's old and that's when her granddaddy passed away and her father moved to Lima. She didn't think her parents were that close, but lately they had been proving her wrong.

"Uh huh," he nodded. "We're still a family sweetie. Your mom will always be welcomed here. There's more than enough room."

Rachel was overwhelmed. Everything was turning out to be perfect. Her daddy was just as amazing as she remembered him to be and now she was going to live in an enormous mansion with lots of space to explore. She could definitely see herself taking walks around the grounds and finding nice quiet spots to read or listen to music and sing along. It was perfect, but it also sounded too good to be true.

* * *

**Next chapter should come soon! Review pls! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for updating so late, guys! Today was hectic and I didn't have time to go online. I just got out of work so i'm posting it before i fall asleep. Enjoy!**

**OH! and thanks for all the favorites and follows! And the reviews too! Very much appreciated! :D**

* * *

There weren't any words to describe how stunning the inside of Rachel's new home was. She had seen many nice homes before but never anything like this. The grand foyer looked like something out of a movie. The chandelier was too beautiful for words and the marble flooring was soft and elegant. There was also a double staircase that led to the upstairs. It was all so pretty.

There were two sets of double doors that caught Rachel's eye. The doors faced opposite each other and were securely locked. It seemed the tour was about to begin.

"Daddy, your house is amazing," Rachel complimented. She didn't know what else to say. She was amazed by it all.

Hiram gave his daughter a smile. He noticed she was eyeing the two sets of double doors in the foyer.

"It's my office and the library," he stated. Rachel looked at him with her eyebrows raised. "Believe it or not I actually like to read something that isn't a business article," he said, amused.

"So which one is the library?" Rachel asked. Both doors were identical except for the one on her right had a small screen on the wall to the left of it.

He walked over to the double doors on the left and opened them. Rachel walked over and glanced into the room. It was large and had tons of books in it. When she looked up, she noticed it had a second floor. There was a spiral staircase in the corner of the room that led up to second level. The room reminded her of the library in Beauty and the Beast. It wasn't the same in size, but it was still very large. It had a couple of lounge chairs, couches, and desks which made it slightly resemble the study area of a college library.

"I'm assuming this doubles as a study, seeing as there are multiple chairs and desks," Rachel stated. She didn't know why there was more than one desk. It was only her and her father. Why so much?

"You assume correctly," her father answered with a smile. "Now come on, let me show you my office."

The two of them exited the room and walked across the foyer to the door of her father's office. She noticed her father moving towards the small screen on the wall. Her curiosity was peaked.

"What's that daddy?" Rachel asked, walking up behind him.

"This is a touchscreen control panel. There are several scattered around the house. It can control anything in a room. For example, this panel controls the foyer and also gives me access to my office. All the rooms have control panels inside, but there are several rooms in this house that only you and I have access to, so I put security panels on the outside. My office is one of them. I don't like my maintenance staff going into my office and other particular rooms of the house," he explained as he tapped away.

Rachel was a little overwhelmed. _Control panels?_ she thought. The last time she had seen a control panel was when she watched Stepford Wives with her mother. It was a very creepy movie but she did think the control panels were cool. She just didn't know such things actually existed in homes. She was starting to figure out just how much she didn't know.

_I'm smart, how do I not know this? Maybe I should have hung around with tech geeks a little bit more._

"So does it use voice recognition software as well?" Rachel asked. The security at the front gate had been interesting.

Hiram shook his head. He had thought about it but found a better solution.

"No, it uses fingerprint scanning software," he smirked, placing his index finger on the screen. Rachel watched as her dad's finger was scanned. She heard a beep and then saw the words 'access granted' displayed on the screen. Her father took hold of the two door handles and pushed them open.

Her father's office looked exactly how she imagined it to be. It was an exact replica of her father's office in Cleveland. She saw it many times over the years when she would meet up with her father for weekend visits. The office was pretty large.

"I'm guessing you miss your Cleveland office?" Rachel teased.

"I loved that office, and I love this one too. I don't know if you ever saw your grandfather's office but it was a lot like this one. It's the reason why I replicated it. I always felt at home in his office," he stated.

Rachel saw how important her grandfather was to her dad by the way he talked about him. Rachel loved her granddaddy very much. It was unfortunate when he passed away.

"I'm glad your office makes you feel at home, daddy. That's what a house is supposed to be, a home," she gave him a small smile.

Hiram turned around and faced his daughter. "You make this house a home, too. I've missed this, this feeling of completeness. I know I've probably said this a million times already, but I'm really happy your here, sweetheart."

Rachel tried really hard to reign in her emotions. She didn't want to cry, but her dad's words had really touched her. She felt at home too. She missed her mother and was probably going to miss her more in a couple of weeks, but now she had her dad. She just wished she could have both.

They continued the tour and headed straight to the formal living room. Rachel was again impressed by all the beautiful furniture but knew that the formal living room was a place to never be touched. It was really just for show.

The next room was the formal dining room. If you'd ask Rachel, she would tell you it was more like a ballroom. The formal dining room was left of the living room and through another set of double doors. Her father explained to her that it was only to be used on special occasions like holiday dinners or dinner parties. Rachel figured since the dining table looked like it could seat twenty people.

They headed back out to the living room and continued until they reached another set of double doors. They weren't like the ones of her dad's office or the dining room. They were glass panel doors so she was able to see through them and through the doors was the informal living room. It was the sitting room where one could actually sit down and watch TV and lay down with their feet on the couch.

The informal dining room and kitchen wasn't far from the sitting room. There was a round table in the dining room which shared space with the enormous kitchen her father had. She was so enthusiastic about having a large kitchen. She loved to bake and cook. She promised herself she would use it soon.

Her father showed her where the lower level bathroom was and where the door to the basement was. When she asked about the basement her father told her the laundry and maintenance rooms were down there. She didn't have to worry about ever going to the basement.

When her father told her it was time to show her the upstairs, she felt giddy inside. She was finally going to get to see her bedroom.

They went up the stairs and once they reached the top she found herself looking in two directions. She didn't know whether her room was in the left wing of the house, or the right wing.

"Our rooms, along with the other guest rooms, are on the right wing of the house. The left wing is all…" Hiram paused and smiled mischievously down at his daughter, "…recreation."

Rachel knew exactly what her father meant. She squealed in delight.

"Do you want to go left or right?" her father asked. Rachel didn't even have to think about it.

"Left, definitely," she answered. Her room could wait.

Almost an hour later, Rachel was tired and dazed from everything she had seen. Her father's house was unbelievable. There was no place on the planet that could amaze her more than her father's home. It had everything! It had a home gym, a rec room, a dance studio, a music room, an indoor basketball court, an indoor pool, two bowling lanes, two home theater rooms, and even a sauna. The left wing was like a fitness club, except only her and her father were members. It was incredible.

She had been in such awe of the place that she had completely forgotten about her room, so when her father mentioned she should rest up a bit she couldn't help but beg her father to show her to her room.

"There are only five rooms in the right wing, my room, your room, and three guest rooms. This is my room," her father pointed to the very first room on the right. His room had a control panel on the outside of it so she figured only he had access to it, like his office. It surprised Rachel that his room was so close to the staircase. She would have thought that his room would be further down.

"I'm guessing you're the only one with access to this room, correct?" Rachel asked. Hiram looked at the control panel to the left.

"Not necessarily. Both our fingerprints are in the system. You have access to it, too," her father informed her. "I trust you not to go into my room without permission."

Rachel was very proud to hold her father's trust. She wouldn't dare betray his trust. Why would she go snooping around his room anyway?

"Ok so which one is mine? This one?" Rachel asked, pointing to the room across from it. It also had double doors just like her father's so she figured it was hers.

"Nope, that's a guest room," he answered just as she was about to go inside. Rachel turned back to her dad with a bewildered look on her face.

"If this isn't my room then which one is it?" she asked.

"That one," Hiram pointed to the two doors at the end of the long hallway.

Rachel was a bit surprised that her father had assigned her the room at the end of the hallway. She was starting to think that her father really wanted his space if their rooms were really that far apart. She wasn't complaining because she could use the privacy, but it was a bit suspicious.

"Is it the smallest room or something? Or why did I get stuck at the end of the hall?" Rachel teased. She really didn't care that her room was at the end of the hall, she was just being playful.

Her father laughed. "No, it's not the smallest. All the rooms are the same size except our bathrooms and closets are bigger," he winked.

Rachel smiled and grabbed her dad's hand so they could both walk down the hallway together. She was really excited to see how her room looked like.

When they reached the end of the hall she noticed there was a staircase that led down to the kitchen. How was it that she had gotten so lucky? The staircase was right by her bedroom. Now she didn't have to walk the long hallway to go downstairs and then maneuver her way through two rooms so she could reach the kitchen.

Rachel scanned the double doors that would lead her into her room. She saw that her room also was only accessible to her and her father. The small touchscreen control panel beckoned her.

Her father had taught her how to use it when they went into the music room. That room held precious and expensive instruments. Rachel was glad it was closed off.

She put her index finger on the screen so it could be scanned. A couple of seconds later the lock on the doors unlatched and Rachel was granted access. She took both door handles into her hands and pushed.

She had never seen anything like it. She couldn't find the words to describe it. Words like 'incredible' and 'amazing' weren't enough. But if she had to choose one word to describe it, it would be _epic._

_Wicked, Rent, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Chicago, West Side Story_― all of these were some of Rachel's all-time favorite Broadway musicals and each one was represented by a framed poster on the walls of her bedroom.

The walls themselves were painted a nice lilac color with the accent wall painted a bit darker. The carpet in the room was a very light grey which went well with the purple. Rachel wasn't used to such dark color schemes. Ever since she was a little girl all she's ever liked were bright colors. She loved pink, yellow, light green, baby blue, and bright purple. She never once considered painting her room in such a dark color, but she surprisingly liked it. She loved it.

Her bed was a white canopy bed with a plain white comforter on top and several pillows that were different shades of purple. Her bedroom had a very modern feel to it and though she was anything but modern, she felt very comfortable in it.

Aside from the various musical posters, there were also framed pictures on the wall. One that she noticed right away was a black and white picture of Audrey Hepburn. It was a still of Breakfast at Tiffany's when Holly is standing right out front of Tiffany's with her coffee and pastry. At the top left corner of the picture is Audrey Hepburn's autograph. Rachel just about fainted.

Other pictures included Barbra Streisand, Patti LuPone, and Bernadette Peters. All of the pictures were signed. It was obvious that her father had purchased these pictures so they weren't specifically signed for her, but it didn't matter. Just the thought of her father buying her these priceless items meant the world to her.

There was one picture that made Rachel smile the brightest.

_To my star,_

_I'll never stop believing in you. Always be yourself._

_Love,_

_Mom _

It was a picture of her mother dressed as the character Elphaba from Wicked. In the picture her mother is holding both her hands up to her face, almost like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. Her face and hands are painted green, making her green eyes pop. _Even with green skin, my mother is the epitome of beauty, _Rachel thought.

"Even painted green, your mother is still one beautiful creature," her father spoke from behind her.

"It's funny you say that because I was thinking the exact same thing," she giggled.

Her father stood beside her and both stared at the 11x14 framed picture of Shelby.

"When I told your mother the idea I had for your room, she was so excited. I asked her if she could possibly sign a picture for me so I could hang it and almost immediately I received it in the mail. Your mother really loves you, baby. I know it hurt her to have to leave you behind but she's always thinking about you."

"I'm always thinking about her too," Rachel whispered. She looked away from the picture and turned to her dad.

"Thank you, for everything," she mumbled. "You didn't have to do any of this to get me to stay with you. I love you, even if I only see you a couple of times through out of the year."

Hiram smiled brightly. Nothing made his heart swell more than his daughter's words. She was amazing. He couldn't have asked for a better daughter.

Hiram wrapped an arm around Rachel and pulled her in for a hug. She giggled and hugged him back.

Rachel continued to look around. Her room was pretty big. It faced the back of the house which gave her a nice view of the backyard. She still hadn't seen it since her windows were covered with sheer white curtains.

On the other side of her room was another set of curtains, but they weren't sheer white. They were some thick dark red—almost purple―curtains, the type that were used in theaters. When she looked in the direction of the curtains, her father smiled.

"Go check it out," he told her. She looked at him cautiously. She didn't want anything to pop out and scare her.

When she got to the curtains she took a hold of the thick fabric and opened it. Her eyes went wide when she got a glimpse of what was behind it.

Rachel swore she heard angels singing when she walked into her closet which also apparently doubled as a dressing room. Her closet was about the same size as her bedroom back in New York. It was empty since she hadn't unpacked yet but it wasn't the empty hangers that caught the brunette's attention. It was the large vanity mirror with light bulbs framing it that had her in awe. Not only that, but also the authentic actor's chair that stood right in front of it with her name in white letters.

"Oh my Barbra, is this real life?" Rachel asked rhetorically. She heard her father laugh behind her but didn't turn around.

Rachel cautiously sat in the chair as if it was going to break and stared into the vanity mirror. The switch to the light bulbs was right below the mirror. Rachel flipped it on as soon as she spotted it. She smiled to herself with the lights brightened up her face in the mirror.

"I'm assuming you like it since you seem to have gone speechless," Hiram teased. Rachel turned around in her chair to face her father.

"It's amazing, dad, truly and utterly amazing."

"Good, now come with me. There's more," he said before disappearing through the curtains.

Rachel stood from the chair with hesitance. She wanted to stay there for a little bit longer but then she remembered she had two full months to enjoy her dressing room/closet.

She walked out, closing the curtains, and walked to where her father stood. He was on the other side of the room where the small lounge area of her room was. There was a nice cream colored fabric couch there along with a matching love seat. The TV in her room was huge and hung from the ceiling.

"Is this what you wanted to show me, daddy? The TV?" Rachel smirked.

Her father laughed and shook his head. "No, not the TV, although it is beautiful," he joked. Hiram walked over to tall windows of her room. He moved the sheer white curtain aside and surprised Rachel by revealing a gold door handle. Rachel looked at her father with curiosity.

"It's a door?" Rachel asked, taking a couple steps towards the glass paneled door itself.

"Yup, come on, let's check out your terrace," he said as he twisted the handle and pushed the door open.

Rachel followed him out and was stunned by how gorgeous the view was. She had a park for a backyard. There was a basketball court, a tennis court, a large oasis looking pool with a waterfall and slide, an outdoor kitchen, and even a lake. She had a lake in her back yard! It wasn't close to the house, it seemed it was more than a hundred yards away from the house, but she could see it from where she was standing. It was pretty big and it was surrounded by many trees. It looked like a forest somehow.

"It's beautiful out here, daddy," the brunette stated.

"I'm glad you like it sweetheart, because for the next two months you and I will be exploring this entire place together. Nature walks, swimming, tennis, fishing… whatever you want kiddo. It's just going to be you and me," Hiram told her.

Rachel turned around to smile at her father. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

XxX

It was Sunday and the mall was packed. It was the day before the first day of school and everyone was there buying clothes and supplies for school. Parents were there with their pre-teen children and teenagers were there shopping for themselves. Three teenagers in particular were Quinn, Santana, and Brittany.

"Q, why the fuck are we even here? We went shopping last week and everyone and their moms are here," Santana grumbled.

"Yeah, and we don't even wear normal clothes to school," Brittany added. Cheerios were ordered to wear their cheerleading uniforms almost every day. All three Cheerios had six sets of cheerleading uniforms, one for each day of the school week and one for competitions.

Quinn let out a frustrated sigh. "We're here because I don't want to be home. It you have somewhere else to be, please feel free to leave," she glared.

Santana huffed, "Fine." She was about to walk away when she remembered Quinn had driven her and Brittany to the mall. She turned around to find Quinn smiling at her smugly.

"Fucking bitch," Santana muttered, making Quinn chuckle.

The three of them continued to walk the mall until they reached the food court. It was pretty full but they found some empty tables by the Panda Express counter.

"San, can we get some ice cream?" Brittany asked sweetly. Santana could never say no to Brittany, especially when she would look at her with her big blue eyes.

"Yeah, sure Britts," Santana gave her a small smile.

Quinn made a whipping sound and giggled. Santana gave her a death glare.

"Shut the fuck up, Fabray. You're just as whipped with trouty mouth so don't give me that shit."

"I am not," Quinn defended. She liked Sam, a lot, but she wasn't whipped. They hadn't quite gotten to that level just yet.

"Are to, you're practically on his jock 24/7. That's what I call whipped," Santana fired back.

Quinn growled. The only reason why she was always with Sam was because she wanted everyone to know that she was dating the quarterback of the football team. They were high school royalty. She wasn't actually in love with him. It was just the way things were. She had to show interest or else he'd dump her and she couldn't have that.

Quinn followed Brittany and Santana to the Dairy Queen counter. They were waiting in line when Santana nudged Quinn on the shoulder.

"What's your problem?" Quinn fired. She glared at Santana who in return wasn't even paying attention to her. She was looking in another direction.

"It's her! It's girl-Berry," Santana whispered. Quinn whipped her head around to look in the direction Santana was looking. She tried to spot her but couldn't find her.

"Where?" Quinn asked as she scanned the crowd.

Santana slapped the back of Quinn's head and pointed towards Rachel and her father. "There."

Quinn resisted the urge to punch Santana for just a second so she could get a look at the new girl. Once she spotted her, her eyes widened.

"That's her?" Quinn asked, surprised. Rachel and Hiram were by the frozen yogurt counter in the food court.

"It has to be. She's with her dad. Billionaire Berry is looking fine as ever," Santana whispered. Brittany nodded in agreement.

_Wow, she's really pretty, _Quinn thought as she stared at the beautiful brunette. Her hair was loose and flowing down her back, her big radiant smile was on display, and her legs were long.

"She's alright," Santana shrugged. Quinn whipped her head around to glare at her but shrugged in agreement. "She's ok-looking."

"I think she's hot," Brittany spoke. Both girls looked at the blonde.

"What?" Brittany shrugged, "She's got awesome legs and a pretty face. I bet she's a good kisser too."

Santana looked horrified. "Britt! What the fuck?" Clearly the green monster was coming out. Quinn tried really hard not to laugh.

"I still think you're hotter, but she's really hot too. Don't worry San. I won't try to kiss her unless you say it's ok," Brittany said nonchalantly. Quinn stifled a chuckle which earned her a glare from Santana.

"Whatever. She might be _ok_-looking but she still dresses like shit. I mean, what era is she from? She looks like she's living in the sixties," Santana scoffed.

"I actually think it's cute," Quinn answered without thinking.

Santana raised an eyebrow. "Of course you would think it's cute, you dress just like her," she accused as she looked the blonde up and down. The dress Quinn had on was of similar style but it was a bit longer than Rachel's.

"I hope you don't back out of the plan just because you think she dresses _cute_," Santana mocked. Quinn glared at her. She wasn't planning on backing out. Not even if the new girl begged her. She might have been pretty and well-dressed, but that wasn't going to stop Quinn from giving her one freezing cold welcome.

"It's still on," Quinn's eyes narrowed. "As soon as Rachel Berry walks in through the doors of McKinley, it's open season on the new girl."

"Thank god you said that because I was just about to smack you again," the Latina threatened. Quinn's eye narrowed.

"Yeah, about that, you hit me again and you'll be running extra suicides at Cheerios practice for a week," Quinn warned.

"Bring it, _guera_," Santana challenged with a smirk. Quinn rolled her eyes and punched Santana on the shoulder. "There, we're even, now get Britt some ice cream and let's get out of here."

Quinn had a lot to prepare for.

* * *

**Review pls! :D next one should be posted soon! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter 4! Enjoy! **

**disclaimer: I do not own Glee. **

* * *

"Are you nervous?"

"Yes, I hate being the new girl," Rachel replied. She was talking on the phone with Blaine as she finished getting ready for school. Her first day of school was finally here and she was feeling a little nervous.

"You were the new girl only once," Blaine deadpanned.

"Yeah, well I didn't like it very much," she huffed. Blaine chuckled from the other end of the line.

"What are you wearing?" he asked. Rachel giggled. "Is this a serious question or did you really just instigate a very inappropriate conversation," she teased. She could hear bursts of laughter coming from Blaine.

"Rachel, I'm gay!" Blaine laughed.

"I know, but I'm still hoping to lure you to the dark side. You'd be the perfect boyfriend," she explained. "I would be the perfect girlfriend for you. I'd be attentive and satisfy all of your physical needs. Not to mention I'd love you 'til the day I died."

Blaine couldn't stop laughing.

"That sounds nice, but I'm still very gay."

Rachel pouted. _Oh well, it was worth a shot._

"You're pretty quiet, did I disappoint you?" Blaine asked. He found it amusing.

Rachel sighed. "Yeah, kinda, I was just hoping that it was a phase," she joked. Both of them laughed.

"Alright, alright, enough with the jokes! Tell me what you're wearing," Blaine demanded. Usually Blaine was the one to accompany Rachel on her shopping sprees. They both had quite the similar fashion sense.

The tiny diva looked down at her outfit. "I'm wearing a black pleated mini-skirt, a cream v-neck cashmere sweater with a red heart, cream colored knee highs, and my red strappy thick-heeled pumps."

"Ooh wearing your good luck pumps for the first day of school?" Blaine spoke up. He knew Rachel only wore her red pumps when she needed good luck. She had a thing for red shoes ever since she watched the Wizard of Oz.

"I kind of have to, I have no idea what's going to happen today. Hopefully they like me and don't shun me or anything like that," she answered.

"Well it sounds like you're dressed up nicely. Send me a pic and I'll let you know if you look shun-worthy," Blaine chuckled.

Rachel stood from her seat and walked over to the full length mirror that was on the wall of her dressing room. She grabbed her phone and snapped a quick picture of her ensemble. She made sure to smile brightly for Blaine.

"Ok, I sent it to you," she said as she took her seat in front of the vanity and continued with her make-up. She put on some mascara and eye liner. That was pretty much it. She liked her skin to breathe.

"Got it!" Blaine sounded. "You look great! Add a black beret and you'll look perfect. Your bangs look amazing by the way. I'm glad you had them cut before you left."

"Oh I know!" Rachel agreed. "I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't find someone out here to cut them. Who knows where these people got their licenses."

"Well they look great! I hope you have a wonderful first day of school. Make sure to keep me updated throughout the day. I have absolutely nothing to do today."

"I hate that you don't start school 'til tomorrow," Rachel complained as she looked for her black beret.

"Thank god for teacher prep day," Blaine snickered.

"Ugh, it's just an excuse for both the students and staff to party one last time before the academic school year starts," Rachel groaned. "Which reminds me, are you going to Jesse's back-to-school party? Because it would be unfortunate if you didn't go just because I'm not there to accompany you."

"I'm not sure," he answered.

"Blaine!" Rachel exclaimed, "You have to go! We've never missed a St. James party since middle school. It's practically tradition!"

"But who would go with me? Harmony is Jesse's date. You and I usually go together," Blaine lamented.

"I got it, why don't you ask one of the girls from choir? Or better yet, one of the boys? I heard from Andrea and Giselle that Sebastian Smythe has been lusting after you since he transferred in last year. I'm sure he'd agree to go with you," Rachel told him.

"Really?" Blaine perked up. Rachel giggled.

"Yes really. Now go and make some phone calls. I have to hurry and get downstairs to have breakfast with my dad. He's so sweet, he took the day off so he could make breakfast and drive me to school," she squealed.

"That's great, Rach! I'm glad you're getting on so well with your dad. Text me when you get to school," Blaine said happily. He really missed Rachel but he knew how important it was for Rachel to spend time with her father. If she was happy, then he was happy.

"Ok I will! Miss you, Love you!" Rachel kissed into the phone. Blaine said his own goodbye's and ended the conversation.

Rachel grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulder. She looked at herself in the mirror and made sure she looked perfect.

"You are Rachel Barbra Berry. You are a star. Everyone's going to love you," she chanted.

There was a beep and then her father's velvety voice came through the intercom system.

"Honey, are you ready yet? Your breakfast is getting cold."

Rachel walked out of her closet/dressing room and grabbed the detachable control panel that she had left on her bed. She was surprised when she saw her father's face on the screen. _There's a camera on this thing too?_

Rachel tapped the screen and her image popped up in a small square in the lower right corner of the screen. It was as if they were Skyping with each other.

"Yeah daddy, I'm ready. I'll be down in a second," she chirped.

"Ok sweetheart, see you in the kitchen," her father grinned. He tapped the screen and almost immediately his image was gone and replaced with the panel menu.

_I can definitely get used to this_, Rachel thought as she put the device back on its dock. She shut her bedroom door and headed downstairs. When she reached the bottom she saw her father standing by the kitchen island reading the newspaper. She smiled and caught his attention by clearing her throat.

Hiram's eyes went wide when he spotted his daughter entering the kitchen. _What in god's name is she wearing?_

"Honey, what is that?" he pointed to her outfit. She was wearing a mini-skirt and a fitted sweater with a low v-neck neckline. He had to admit it was cute, but she was showing cleavage! No father should have to see his daughter's cleavage.

"This is my outfit for the day. Isn't it cute?" she grinned.

"No!" he protested. Rachel pouted.

"I mean, yes your outfit is wonderful sweetheart," Hiram retracted his statement, "but it's a bit too revealing don't you think? That neckline is kind of low and your skirt doesn't even reach your knees."

Rachel's eyebrows furrowed. She looked down at her outfit.

"Really? You think the neckline is low? I actually think it's quite modest. And my skirt may not reach my knees but it definitely meets dress code for skirt length at my old school. This skirt is actually longer than my regulation uniform skirt from Dalton."

Hiram's eyes went wide again. "You mean to tell me that you wore skirts shorter than _this_ to your school in New York?" He pointed.

Rachel nodded. She honestly didn't find anything wrong with the length of her skirt. The girls back at Dalton would wear skirts that barely covered their rear and they never got in trouble for it. She had been one of the more modest girls back at Dalton. It was probably the reason why she never had a boyfriend. But she wasn't about to slut up her wardrobe for attention. She was classy.

"This is despicable! How can school authorities let you girls wear things like _this_," he pointed to her skirt. Rachel rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe her father was actually making a big deal about it. It amused her.

"Well daddy, when parents donate millions of dollars to the school, they really don't focus on the attire of their students, but their education. The only reason we have uniforms is so we look organized."

Hiram couldn't believe it. He was going to have to speak with Shelby about it. He didn't want his daughter attending a school where girls looked like harlots. Not that his daughter looked like a harlot, but he didn't want to imagine how short her Dalton skirt was.

"Daddy, are you going to make me change? Because I was up all night picking out this outfit," she pouted.

Hiram hung his head. "No honey, I won't make you change," he sighed. Rachel perked up.

"But I do want you to carry this around," he said looking around one of drawers in the kitchen. He found what he was searching for and handed it to Rachel.

"Oh daddy, I already have a can of mace in my book bag. And a rape whistle, see," Rachel took out both her mace and rape whistle. The can of mace was pink and so was her whistle.

Hiram sighed in relief. He was glad Rachel was prepared. But he was thinking of going out and buying her a stun gun as well. She could never be too safe.

"So now that my outfit has been somewhat approved, is it ok if we eat breakfast?" Rachel asked.

Her dad gave her a small smile. "Yes, honey, of course."

Her father surprised her by making several vegan dishes for breakfast. She was touched that he had gone through so much trouble to cook for her so she ate a little bit of everything. Once she was done her father asked her to follow him out back to the garage. It was her first time visiting the garage so she was pretty excited. Her father had tons of cars. Some of them were sporty, others luxurious. She couldn't wait to see which car her father picked to drive today.

They walked out the kitchen double doors which led to the backyard, but instead of heading to the pool like they had done the day before, they followed a small path that led to the garage which was located right of the main house.

The security for the garage was a bit different than the front gate and main house. Instead of scanning only one finger, the security panel scanned his entire hand. It didn't even stop there. Her father also had to put in a secret code before he was granted access.

"Wow daddy, you're security measures are intense," Rachel commented as she followed her father into the large building.

"They have to be if I want to keep my toys safe," her father smirked. He sure loved his cars.

Rachel looked at all the cars her father had in awe. There were more than 20 cars in the garage. Like she had predicted, some were sporty and others were luxurious and flashy. Rachel had never really been into cars. She grew up in New York so she was used to riding around in town cars and limos, but she definitely appreciated them. They had beauty and power, it was like art.

"So which one are we going to use this morning?" Rachel asked enthusiastically. She had her eyes on an Audi. It was very pretty and luxurious.

"Well, I can drive any car that's mine and most of these are mine except for two of them," he said. Rachel looked up at him with bewilderment. Why would he have cars in his garage that weren't his?

"If they're not yours, then whose are they?" she asked. Her father smiled and asked her to follow him. She did as she was asked and trailed him as he walked to the other side of the garage. He pointed to two cars in the distance. She couldn't really get a good look at them because they were covered. When they finally reached the two cars, she stood there waiting for her father to tell her who the cars belonged to.

"These two cars aren't mine," he stated again. Rachel raised an eyebrow. She wanted her father to get to the point.

"They're yours," he grinned. Rachel's jaw dropped. She was not expecting her father to give her a car, not to mention _two_ of them.

"Daddy, please tell me you're kidding?" she pleaded. "I won't be able to take it if it's true."

Hiram laughed. Rachel was acting as if really thought her father wasn't going to buy her a car of her own. When he was younger he loved having his own car. It gave him independence. He didn't want his daughter to be one of those girls that couldn't drive themselves anywhere. He didn't have a driver to take him to work or anything like that and he wasn't going to hire one to take Rachel to school either.

"No, I'm not kidding. Did you really think I wasn't going to get you a car?" her father inquired. Rachel shook her head no. She really didn't think so.

"This isn't New York, honey. You can actually drive here," he explained.

Rachel nodded. She knew the streets of Lima were nothing like they were in New York. She would never dare drive in the city. She would rather ride the subway or take a taxi before attempting to drive in those streets.

"You ready to see them?" He asked her. Rachel nodded enthusiastically. Now that she knew that it was actually real, she couldn't wait to see the cars her father picked out for her.

"Ok, well this first one is more… ostentatious. I don't recommend you driving it to school because someone could try to steal it or scratch it," he said pulling the grey cover off the car.

The car itself was beautiful. She had never in her life seen a car like the one that was parked in front of her. It was white and sporty. That was the only way she could describe it. It had four doors which meant it seated more than two people and she had absolutely no idea what kind of car it was. It had to be foreign because it was definitely not from this country.

"Daddy, it's beautiful. What kind of car is it?" Rachel asked. She was circling the car, inspecting it. It was one gorgeous vehicle.

"It's a Fisker Karma. Don't worry. It's a hybrid so you don't have to worry about polluting the air. I saw that werewolf guy from Twilight driving one and I thought it was amazing. When I found out it was a hybrid, I just knew I had to get it for you. Do you like it?"

Rachel huffed. "Of course I like it. I love it!"

On the inside her father was doing a happy dance. He was relieved she liked the car.

"I hope the color is alright. We could always paint it if you prefer a different color," he suggested. Rachel shook her head. "No, I love that it's white. You can never go wrong with black or white."

Hiram grinned. "Well I'm glad that you said that because your other car is black," he said, revealing the second car.

Rachel squealed when she saw that her father had gotten her a Mini-Cooper. She had always wanted one because they were small and cute.

"This one is also a hybrid. It's a bit less luxurious than the Fisker but I wasn't expecting you drive it all the time so I got you this one also. I have options so I thought you should too."

Rachel looked at her dad and gave him a small smile. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"This is too much for one girl, but thank you. I'll make sure to take good care of them," she promised.

Hiram placed a kiss on top of her head. "Good, now let's go before you're late for your first day of school. What car would you like to take? I would let you drive to school but I never really got the chance to take you to school before and I want to be able to do it at least once before you go to college."

Rachel smiled. It warmed her heart that her dad wanted to drive her to school like any other parent. She actually liked the idea of him driving her on the very first day of school.

"I would be honored if you drove me to school, daddy," Rachel said happily.

Hirim's face lit up. "Good! Let's head out."

The two Berry's eventually decided to take Hiram's Range Rover out for a spin. It wasn't too pretentious but still had some flare to it.

When they arrived at the school, Rachel's heart began to beat faster by the minute. She had never been so nervous before. Lima was so different from New York. She didn't know if she would fit in. There were lots of students out in the front. She was close to asking her father to turn the car around and take her back to the house.

"Sweetheart, would you like me to escort you to the office? I know it's your first day and you're nervous, but you shouldn't be. Everyone is going to love you," he smiled.

She didn't want to be one of those kids who had to be escorted into the school by her parents or bodyguards, but she really didn't think she could do it on her own at the moment.

"Would you, daddy?" Rachel asked. Hiram chuckled.

"Of course, Honey. Let me just park," he said, putting the car back in drive.

Rachel looked around and noticed that a lot of the students were looking in her direction. The windows were tinted so it was likely that they couldn't see her, but it was still intimidating.

When she stepped out of the car she saw a teacher look her way. He looked pretty young, maybe mid-thirties. He had this kind of curly light brown hair and had a cleft chin. From where she was standing he looked mildly attractive. She just didn't like the hideous vest he was wearing. It wasn't like the one's Blaine would wear. His looked worn and kind of cheap. She couldn't really blame him. He was a teacher after all and a teacher's salary wasn't the greatest.

She gave the teacher a smile and walked alongside her dad into the building.

"Oh my god," Rachel gagged. "This place is horrific."

One foot in the building and she already knew it was going to be a bad day. The school was a disaster on the inside. On the outside it didn't look that bad but the inside looked a mess.

"Rachel!" Hiram scolded. He knew the school wasn't at its best but he didn't want his daughter to be rude about it. This was the school he had once attended. It looked absolutely the same.

"I'm sorry daddy, but it's atrocious. You've fixed up half the town but you don't fix up the school you once attended, your alma mater?"

Hiram gave his daughter a stern looked. Of course he's tried to help out the school.

"I've donated money to this school many times, but it seems the money has all been going to the Cheerios and the football program," he explained. When they had driven up to the school he saw the renovated football stadium and the Cheerios' practice field. Not to mention the locker rooms. It looked like it was a whole different building, like it wasn't part of the school.

Rachel's face scrunched up when her father mentioned Cheerios.

"What are the Cheerios?" she asked.

"It's the cheerleading squad. It's what they're called," Hiram explained to her. They had never been just cheerleaders. They were _always_ Cheerios.

"They named the cheerleading squad after a cereal?" Rachel deadpanned. How lame was that?

Hiram shook his head. "No, it's more like they named the cereal after them. The Cheerios have been around since the 1910's. In 1941 a former Cheerio went to the Olympics and won a gold medal in track and field. When she got back to the states, a cereal company wanted her to endorse the cereal but she told the company she would only agree if they renamed the cereal Cheerios. They agreed and that's how the cereal's name came about."

Rachel was surprisingly intrigued by the story. It was out of the ordinary but interesting.

"Well I hope they're really good if their using all that money that you donate," Rachel mumbled.

Hiram laughed and tugged his daughter along towards the administration office.

When they walked into the office all eyes were on them, more specifically, on Hiram. He was billionaire Berry after all. It also didn't hurt that he was a very handsome man. He was dressed casually which caught a lot of people off guard.

"Hello," Hiram smiled handsomely at the secretary up front. The woman's eyes almost popped out of her sockets when she saw who was calling her attention.

"Mr. B-berry, h-how are you doing today, s-sir?" the middle aged woman stuttered. Rachel tried her best not to laugh but the look on the woman's face was comical. Her father gave her a nudge.

"I'm doing very well this morning, thank you for asking Ms.…" he trailed off, waiting for the secretary to give him her name.

"Donna! Donna Denny-Brown," the secretary finished.

"Well, Donna," her father smiled crookedly, "I'm here to pick up my daughter's schedule. It's her first day of school," he explained.

The secretary looked at Rachel. Rachel smiled brightly at her and the secretary gave her an itty bitty smile back. Rachel expected more out of the woman who was currently swooning over her father.

_Rude._

"Yes, of course," Ms. Denny-Brown smiled brightly at Hiram. "But your daughter would have to go see Ms. Pillsbury to retrieve her schedule. She's the guidance counselor. She handles the schedules," the secretary explained.

"That's alright. Could you point us to Ms. Pillsbury's office please? If that's not too much to ask," Hiram smiled.

Hiram didn't have to finish his sentence before Ms. Denny-Brown was out of her chair and directing them towards Ms. Pillsbury's office.

Rachel was not pleased by the attention the secretary was giving her father. It was like she was throwing herself at him. _It's pathetic_, Rachel thought.

As they walked down the hall, students were starting to notice her. She could feel the stares of her fellow students.

When they reached the outside of Ms. Pillsbury's office her father dismissed Ms. Denny-Brown the secretary and opened the door so Rachel could walk in. Her father was definitely a gentleman.

When she walked in a redheaded woman looked up at her with wide eyes. _Are her eyes usually like that or is she shocked to see me?_

Then Rachel realized the woman was probably looking at her like that because her father was standing right behind her. He was a pretty tall man so it was most likely him she was looking at.

"Oh… um… hello," the lady offered. She didn't look middle aged like Ms. Denny-Brown. She looked quite young also like the teacher she had seen out in the parking lot.

"Hello," Rachel smiled. "I'm Rachel Berry and this is my father, Hiram Berry," Rachel introduced.

"Oh," Ms. Pillsbury's eyes widened even more, if that were possible. "Mr. Berry, it's so nice to finally meet you, I'm Emma Pillsbury, Head Counselor."

Rachel found it weird that Ms. Pillsbury didn't extend a hand to greet her father. Her father wasn't even fazed by it.

"It's a pleasure Ms. Pillsbury," her father smiled.

"Well what can I do for you today?" Ms. Pillsbury asked. She seemed to be in a state of manic disposition.

"Today is Rachel's first day of school and we were told that she was to report to you to retrieve her schedule," her father answered.

"Oh yes, it's right here along with all of the other transfer students, which happens to be just you," Ms. Pillsbury answered. She opened up a folder which held one single piece paper and pulled it out. She looked at it and then handled it to Rachel.

"Why don't you take a seat and we can talk about your schedule. I like to go over a couple of things with new students on their first day of school."

Rachel complied and took a seat.

"I can take it from here, Mr. Berry," Ms. Pillsbury told Hiram.

Rachel was a bit sad to see her father go, especially since she was slightly nervous, but it wasn't like he could stick around and hold her hand throughout the day. This wasn't preschool. It was high school and she was a senior.

"Ok then, I will head out now. I'll be waiting for you when school gets out, ok sweetheart?" Hiram looked to Rachel for a response.

Rachel smiled and nodded. Her father leaned down and placed a kiss on Rachel's head.

"Ok, I love you," he told her. Rachel blushed. Ms. Pillsbury was _right there._

"Love you too, daddy," Rachel murmured before her father stepped out of the office.

Ms. Pillsbury's heart melted at the exchange. She thought it was adorable.

"So, Rachel, welcome to McKinley. I know it doesn't compare to Dalton but please keep an open mind. McKinley can be a wonderful place," Emma smiled.

To Rachel it sounded as if Ms. Pillsbury was trying to convince herself that McKinley was wonderful. She just nodded.

"Now, I want you to look over your schedule and let me know if you have any problems with it. If you do, we can fix it. It's the beginning of the school year so now is the time to fix your schedule if you need to."

Rachel nodded again and looked at her schedule.

**1st****Period English AP Castle**

**2nd****Period Civics/Economics AP Schuester**

**3rd****Period Calculus AP Hagberg**

**4th****Period Physics AP Bletheim**

**5th****Period TA**

**6th****Period****_(blank)_**

"Your transcript was very impressive. Nobody at this school has a 4.5 GPA. The closest student to having that kind of GPA has a 4.0. You should be really proud of yourself, Rachel," Ms. Pillsbury praised.

"Thank you, Ms. Pillsbury. I have worked hard to get to where I am. I'm still hoping for a 5.0 at the end of the school year so hopefully I do very well this academic year," Rachel replied.

Emma was very impressed by her new student. She wished that her other students were as driven as her.

"Do you have any problems with your schedule?" Ms. Pillsbury asked.

Rachel shook her head. "Not with the classes that are currently listed, but could you please explain to me what TA stands for? Or why I don't have a sixth period?" she asked.

Back at Dalton, Rachel had seven periods throughout the school day. Even during lunch she was busy. She was either doing something for choir or for the drama department. She would sometimes even practice her ballet. It seemed like things weren't the same here. She even wondered if this school had a choir.

"Oh, well, TA stands for Teacher's Aid. During that period, you help out a teacher of your choosing. Of course, that teacher has to give you permission to be his or her TA. TA's don't do much. Usually all they do is help the teacher grade papers or get them coffee."

Rachel couldn't believe what she was hearing. Being a teacher's assistant was practically an excuse to do nothing. This would never be acceptable at Dalton. Rachel didn't know whether to be happy or upset at the idea of sitting out for an entire period.

"Do students get graded? Does it affect their GPA?" Rachel asked.

Ms. Pillsbury nodded. "Yes, the student gets graded depending on how well they do. It's an easy A, really. And it's the perfect way to raise your GPA. That's why many of the seniors take it. Would you rather take something else?"

Rachel thought about it. She was going to be gone in two months. That wasn't even a semester. Would it really matter if she was TA? Rachel doubted the elective classes at this school were up to par with the ones at Dalton. It would be easy for her either way.

"No, it's fine. I just don't know any teachers yet so I wouldn't know who to pick. I'm guessing if I don't choose now all of the good teachers will be taken."

Ms. Pillsbury nodded. Most of the seniors had probably gone in search for their teachers already.

"Do you need a TA, Ms. Pillsbury?" Rachel asked. Ms. Pillsbury wasn't really a teacher but she still needed an aid, right? And she was actually kind of nice.

Emma was surprised by Rachel's question. No student had ever asked to be her TA. She never really thought she needed one but she was flattered by Rachel's request.

"No, I don't. Would you like to be my TA?" Emma asked.

Rachel smiled. "If you would allow me to be, it would be an honor to be your teacher's aide. I guess counselor's aide would the appropriate title in this circumstance."

Ms. Pillsbury smiled brightly. "Ok, well, I accept your request and will put it in the system right away. You will report to me every day during fifth period."

Rachel nodded. "Ok, but what about my sixth period, its blank."

"Yes, well, seniors can usually pick to have a free period. Most of them pick sixth period so they can go home early. I didn't want to put you in an elective class without talking to you first so I left it blank. Would you like to keep it free or do you want me to put you in a class?"

_A free period, really?_ Rachel thought. Not once would she have thought she would ever get a free period. It sounded too good to be true and kind of counterproductive.

"Well what can I enroll in if I decide to take a class instead?" Rachel asked. She had no idea what kind of classes McKinley offered. At Dalton she could take anything from dance to music to choir to even fencing if she wanted.

"There are several classes and clubs that are only available for sixth period. One for example is band. There are two types of band. There's the Jazz band and then there's the marching band. You can also take weight training, it's also offered during zero period as well. There's art appreciation, music appreciation, yearbook, the school newspaper, Glee club-"

"Glee club?" Rachel interjected. "What's that?" It sounded familiar to her but she couldn't remember where she heard it from.

"It's the school's show choir," Ms. Pillsbury happily. It seemed Ms. Pillsbury was quite familiar with it by the way she responded to Rachel's inquires.

"Show choir?" Rachel asked excitedly. She had been in choir back at her old school and dominated that place. She was the best singer in her entire school. She was envied by all of the choir members, including her friends Harmony and Jesse, the power couple of the Dalton Academy Warblers.

"Yes, show choir is similar to regular choir except you get to dance and be theatrical. It's very much like performing a musical, except there's no acting and it's all just musical numbers."

Rachel was frozen in place. McKinley high school had a show choir… a show choir! Back at Dalton she had never gotten to dance while singing. It was either just singing or just dancing. But here she could do both! And theatricality, that was her thing! She could do it. She could be in show choir. It would be something interesting to do while she was here in Lima.

_Things are definitely turning up for me_, she thought.

"Are you interested in doing show choir, Rachel?" Emma asked. The girl had seemed to have gone still when she mentioned Glee club. She was either really put off by the idea or intrigued. She hoped it was the latter. Will had talked to Emma about helping the New Directions find new members. By what Emma had seen in Rachel's transcript, she could totally fit the bill. She had been in choir at her old school and was also a classically trained dancer. It would be thrilling if Rachel joined. Not only that, but it would make Will so happy.

"Yes definitely, I would like to join the Glee club," Rachel squealed. She was so excited about finally being able to show off her talent. Nobody at McKinley knew her. It was time to show them she was a star.

"Ok perfect!" Ms. Pillsbury clapped. She seemed just as excited as Rachel. "I will enroll you in Glee club just as soon as you audition. But don't worry. Mr. Schuester made it a rule that everyone who auditions makes it. They just have to hear you sing."

Rachel grinned. "Perfect, where can I find Mr. Schuester?" she asked.

"He's your 2nd period teacher. Just let him know that you want to audition for Glee and he'll ask you to audition. He might have you sit in during Glee today just so you can see what goes on and then he might have you audition tomorrow or the next day."

Rachel couldn't be any happier. Her day had started out a bit rough but now she was sure everything was going to be ok.

"Thank you, Ms. Pillsbury," Rachel thanked her. Ms. Pillsbury shook her head. "You don't have to thank me Rachel, it's my job. Now you should go to class because the bell should be ringing any seco-"

Ms. Pillsbury didn't even get to finish her sentence when the school bell rang.

"Looks like I should be going," Rachel stated, getting up from her seat. "It was really nice meeting you Ms. Pillsbury. I'll see you for fifth period."

Rachel opened the door to the hallway but then quickly realized she had no idea where her first period was. When she turned around to ask Ms. Pillsbury where her first period class was located, Emma was already out of her seat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even offer to show you where your first period is," Emma apologized. She usually didn't do this with students but she had a good feeling about Rachel. She was a very nice girl, and smart too.

Rachel blushed. Emma walked out of the office with Rachel trailing right behind her. The hallways had almost been cleared out, except for a couple of students.

"Oh look, I know someone who can show you to your first period. She has the same class as you do," Ms. Pillsbury told her.

"Quinn!" Ms. Pillsbury called out.

"Yes, Ms. Pillsbury," a sultry female voice replied.

Rachel couldn't see the student since Ms. Pillsbury was taller than her―even though she was wearing heels—and she didn't want to look like a nosy person by sticking out her head to catch a glance. Rachel could hear the girl quickly approaching by the sound of her light footsteps.

"Quinn, I was hoping if you would do me a favor and escort our newest student to class. She has AP English with Ms. Castle for first period and if I remember correctly you do as well.

The girl took a moment to reply. "Sure, Ms. Pillsbury," the girl said cheerily.

"Thank you so much, Quinn," Ms. Pillsbury responded.

Finally Ms. Pillsbury moved so that Rachel could see who would be escorting her to class and possibly be her first acquaintance at this school.

"This is Rachel Berry, your new classmate," Emma said to Quinn, revealing the new girl from behind her back.

"Rachel, this is Quinn Fabray. She'll be escorting you to your first period," Emma introduced.

_Wow_, was Rachel's only thought when she saw Quinn Fabray. The girl was beautiful. She had shining blonde hair, a nice body, beautiful hazel eyes, and she was a cheerleader.

Rachel had never felt as insecure as she was feeling at the moment. Quinn was the prettiest girl she had ever met. It was doing a lot of damage to her confidence. She knew she was pretty but not as pretty as Quinn. God no, Quinn was so beautiful it hurt. It was painful to look at her.

_Stop! You're Rachel Berry. You're talented and smart. Beauty isn't everything. Be yourself. Believe in yourself._

Rachel took a deep breath and smiled her signature smile. Her pearly whites were on full display. She had been told many times before that she had one of the best smiles. Many of her mother's costars had complimented her on her smile. April Rhodes, the woman who had played opposite her mother in Wicked, once told her she had the most beautiful smile in the world and that if she used it right it could get her anything she wanted. Well now she was using it because what she wanted the most right now was confidence, and if a simple smile brought her that, then she would smile all day if she had to.


	5. Chapter 5

**Happy Friday guys! So because it's Friday, my favorite day of the week (kind of), i decided i'm going to post two chapters! I should be posting the second one in a couple of hours. It's currently 3:30 AM where i'm from so i'll probably post it when i wake up. Enjoy!**

**disclaimer: I do not own glee. **

* * *

"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Quinn stood frozen in place as she ogled Rachel from head to toe. It was the only thing she seemed to be able to do.

Rachel was a beautiful girl. She had brown flowing hair, big brown eyes, a lean body, long toned legs, and a smile that could light up an entire football stadium. Quinn didn't know whether to be impressed or threatened by her. _Threatened, definitely threatened._

Of course the girl had some flaws as well which made the cheerleader feel a bit more secure. Rachel had a bit of a big nose. Quinn smirked at that. The girl was definitely not perfect. Her nose wasn't horrendous or anything but it sure didn't help her.

Another thing Quinn noticed was her height. She was really short. Even with heels on, the girl was barely measuring around the same height as Quinn. She could only imagine how short the girl would be if she wore flats_._

She was taken out of her thoughts by a cough. It was then she noticed Rachel had her hand extended out to her, waiting for Quinn to shake it. Usually she would just ignore the outreached hand but since Ms. Pillsbury was present she couldn't really avoid shaking hands with the midget.

The cheerleader took the brunette's hand and shook it lightly. "Nice to meet you," Quinn said with a very believable smile. Quinn was almost as great of an actress as Rachel… almost.

Emma smiled when she saw the two girls smile at each other. She had heard that Quinn Fabray wasn't the easiest girl to get along with. She never knew to believe it or not since she was always a sweetheart around her. She never got complaints from teachers or any other staff members. Students were the ones usually bad-mouthing her saying she was a 'bitch' but Emma never believed it.

"Ok girls, you'll have time later to socialize. Why don't you get to class? Rachel, I will see you in my office for fifth period," Emma patted both girls on their shoulder and walked back to her office.

Quinn instantly removed her hand from Rachel's grasp. Rachel was a bit taken aback by it but she wasn't insulted.

The blonde quickly turned, almost hitting Rachel in the face with her pony tail, and started making her way down the hall. "This way," Quinn snapped.

Rachel walked after her but found it difficult to keep up with her. This Quinn girl was fast and she was acting a lot weirder now that Ms. Pillsbury wasn't with them. She was starting to think that the girl really didn't care for her.

_But she was so nice a minute ago?_ Rachel thought. Her insecurities were now hitting her even harder. She had been relieved when the pretty blonde had smiled at her and shook her hand. Even before that, the cheerleader had checked her out. Rachel had also ogled Quinn. Didn't all girls look at each other like that the first time they meet?

Quinn walked faster and faster as she made her way down the hall. She smiled to herself as she heard Rachel struggling to keep up with her. _Pathetic,_ she thought.

When she reached Ms. Castle's classroom Quinn didn't even wait for Rachel to catch up before walking in. Everybody was talking while Ms. Castle wrote down some objectives for the semester on the board. There were two empty seats in the class, one next to Santana and one next to Jacob Ben Israel. Jacob was a perv and a creep. Thank god Santana had saved her a seat.

"Q, where the fuck have you been?" Santana hissed as Quinn took a seat right next to her.

"Wait for it…" Quinn whispered.

Santana gave her a confused look and was about to say something when she noticed the room had gone quiet all of a sudden. The Latina looked up to investigate why it was suddenly silent and spotted Rachel Berry standing by the door. Santana's eyes went wide.

"She's in our class?" she growled at Quinn. The blonde gave her friend a dirty look. It wasn't her fault Pillsbury had enrolled them in the same class.

"Yes," Quinn whispered, stealing another glance at the brunette. She looked nervous.

"Fuck," Santana hissed. She had spoken pretty loudly but no one paid attention to her because they were still staring at Rachel.

Ms. Castle hadn't noticed that the entire class had gone quiet until she finished writing on the board. Then she turned around to find the entire class staring at a girl standing by the door.

"Hi, can I help you?" Ms. Castle asked Rachel.

Rachel was relieved. Finally someone had spoken to her. When she walked into the class everyone had turned to stare at her. It made her very nervous and she even considered walking back out the door. But she knew she couldn't do that so she put on a big confident smile and spoke to the teacher.

"Yes, I'm Rachel Berry. I'm a new student here."

Ms. Castle recognized that name. Everyone in the teacher's lounge had been talking about her this morning. Most of the teachers knew Hiram Berry, but neither of them knew that he had a child. It wasn't until someone who worked in his office had spread it around town that his daughter was coming to live with him for a while.

"Yes, Miss Berry, why don't you take a seat next to…," Ms. Castle trailed off as she searched the room for an empty seat. She saw one next to Jacob Ben Israel and immediately felt sorry for the girl. "Jacob, raise your hand so Miss Berry knows where her new assigned seat is."

Jacob eagerly raised his hand. He was going to be sitting next to the hot new Jewish girl for the entire semester. _Wanky, wanky!_

Rachel tried her hardest not to scrunch up her face in disgust when she spotted Jacob—just looking at the kid made her creep senses tingle. His too-big smile was creepy and he was not attractive at all. He had some thick rimmed glasses and a puffy red afro. She could tell almost immediately that he was Jewish. The hair and the nose gave it all away.

Rachel carefully made her way to her assigned seat while everyone else in the room continued to stare at her. She ignored Jacob's gawking as she took a seat at her desk. It was rude of her not to introduce herself to her new desk partner but she really didn't want to. She felt so uncomfortable sitting next to him.

"Hi, I'm Jacob," the boy drooled.

_Ew, ew, ewww!_

"Uh, hi," Rachel grimaced. She gave him a small wave and retrieved her notebook and pen from her book bag.

Two desks behind Rachel sat Quinn and Santana. Both girls were watching Rachel as she tried to get comfortable.

"So, is she a bitch?" Santana asked. She figured since Rachel was one of those Gossip Girl types that she would be a stuck up bitch.

"No," Quinn said icily. "She actually seems nice, which isn't what I was hoping for. I thought she would be a bitch for sure but it turns out she's actually kind of bubbly and kind."

Santana laughed. "Look at you, hating on the new girl. You know Q, green isn't really a good color on you."

"I'm not jealous of her!" Quinn whisper yelled. Her hazel eyes were cold as she glared at her best friend. How dare she accuse Quinn of being jealous of the new girl? "May I remind you that you don't like her either?"

"I don't like anyone," Santana retorted. Quinn smirked, "Exactly."

Both girls glared at each other before taking out their notebooks and writing down the objectives Ms. Castle had written on the board. They didn't even notice Rachel looking back at them from her seat.

_Are all the cheerleaders here pretty?_ Rachel wondered. The girl who had been quarreling with Quinn was also a cheerleader and a pretty one at that. She reminded her of Mia, a former classmate of hers. She was also Hispanic and very beautiful. This one seemed a bit hostile, though. She and Quinn had been exchanging cold glares and heated words from what she gathered. She wondered if they were close friends.

Rachel finished writing down the objectives on the board and noticed that everybody else in the room was still scribbling them down. She had a little bit of time before the teacher begun her lesson so she decided to sneak a quick text to Blaine.

**There is a creepy Jewish boy gawking at me and drooling, please tell me you're on your way here to save me? – R***

Blaine replied almost instantly.

**Hahaha! Is he your new desk partner? – B**

**Yes, he's giving me the creeps! I need you! – R***

**I'm sorry. I'm sure he's not that bad. – B**

**No, he really is. – R***

***rolling eyes* have you met anybody else? – B**

**Don't you roll your eyes at me, Blaine Anderson! Ugh… yes I have, she's a cheerleader and she's gorgeous. I feel so inadequate compared to her. I don't think she likes me. – R***

**Why do you think that? And you're not inadequate. You are beautiful. – B**

Rachel smiled at her cell phone screen. Blaine always knew how to make her feel better. It didn't make her feel a hundred percent better but it helped.

She was about reply to his text when she heard her name being called out.

"Miss Berry, I don't know what the rules were back at your old school but here at McKinley there's absolutely no texting during class," Ms. Castle warned.

Rachel felt incredibly guilty. This wouldn't have happened at Dalton. She should have known better.

"I apologize, Ms. Castle. It was incredibly rude of me to interrupt your class. I promise it won't happen again," Rachel assured.

Ms. Castle was impressed by the girl's politeness. If it was another student she would have gotten a poorly spoken apology and an eye roll.

"Yes, well, let's hope it doesn't," Ms. Castle merely spoke. Rachel nodded.

The rest of the period went by uneventfully. Rachel put away her cellphone and wrote every note that was given throughout the lecture with impeccable penmanship, all while ignoring Jacob's creepy leering.

When the bell rang every one of her classmates ran out the door except for Rachel. She took her time to put away her notebook and writing utensils. The only person left in the room was her and Ms. Castle. She was lucky Jacob hadn't lingered. While she was in need of a guide, she preferred it if it wasn't him.

Once she put everything away, she took out her schedule and walked over to Ms. Castle's desk. Perhaps the teacher could give her directions to her next class.

After getting directions, Rachel walked down the hall looking at the classroom numbers. Ms. Castle had told her it was the last classroom on the left before reaching the stair case, but it was hard to focus when everyone's eyes were on her. She had both male and female students staring at her. Some were good stares and others were cold glares. It was mostly the girls who were glaring at her.

The whispers were getting louder as she strutted down the hall, but the brunette didn't care. She was Rachel Freakin' Berry!

When she entered Mr. Schuester's classroom it was completely empty except for the curly haired guy she saw in the morning. She was pleasantly surprised it was him who was the Glee club's director. He didn't seem like the show choir type of guy but she wasn't anybody to judge his preference of extracurricular activities.

The clacking of Rachel's heels caught Mr. Schuester's attention and he turned away from the whiteboard. He was stunned to find Rachel standing by the doorway. He had seen her in the morning when she arrived with her father.

Will had met Hiram the year before when the Glee club had made it to regionals. Mr. Berry was a big fan of the arts and was the only one who donated money to the club so they could get a handicapped bus for Artie. He also paid for the costumes and hotel rooms. Will was a big fan of the guy.

"Hello, Miss Rachel Berry I presume?" Will smiled as he approached her.

Rachel grinned brightly. "Yes, it's nice to meet you Mr. Schuester."

"Go ahead and call me Mr. Shue, Rachel. All of the other kids do. How's your first day at McKinley going so far?" the curly haired teacher asked.

"It's going well, thank you for asking," Rachel answered politely.

"Good, go ahead and sit anywhere you'd like. The rest of my students should be filing in here at any second."

Rachel gave a nod and chose a seat in the front. She was happy she didn't have to share a desk with anybody in this class. They were all singular desks.

Once she was seated she remembered what Ms. Pillsbury had told her about Glee club. She wanted to audition.

"Mr. Schuester, I was told you're the director for the Glee club," Rachel stated, grabbing Will's attention. Nobody ever brought up Glee club in class, mostly because nobody cared about it except the glee club members.

"Yes, Rachel, that's correct," Will spoke, putting down the black dry-erase marker. He was curious to why Rachel was asking about Glee club.

"I would like to join," Rachel said brightly. Will's eyes widened. Nobody had ever been so enthusiastic about join glee club. Rachel had definitely shocked him.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Rachel asked bemused. She thought Mr. Schuester was acting a bit peculiar.

"No, no of course you are. This is great!" Will cheered. Glee club had just lost one of their members and they needed more people. "Do you know how to sing?" he asked.

Rachel hesitated to answer the question. She knew how to sing, very well, but she didn't know if she should tell Mr. Schuester she had been taking vocal lessons since she was two years old, or that she was a classically trained ballet dancer and could dance any other genre just as well. She didn't want him to think she was boasting about her talent.

"Well I was in choir at my old school. I wouldn't say I'm terrible," Rachel said shyly. She wasn't lying. She didn't think she was terrible and she _was_ in choir at Dalton.

"Excellent!" Will cheered. "What do you have for sixth period?" he asked the young brunette.

"It's actually my free period. When I asked Ms. Pillsbury what was available during that time slot she informed me about glee club. I figured I'd audition."

"Ok, well why don't you come to glee club? You can sit in so you can gather a bit of what we do in there and then if you're still interested by the end of the class you can audition tomorrow. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," Rachel grinned. Suddenly she was feeling a lot better again. She just hoped she didn't have Jacob for this class too.

XxX

"When is 'operation: Berry slush' going to begin, Q? Cause honestly, I was about to knock her out in first period when she started begging like a dog for Castle to forgive her," Santana ranted as she and Quinn strutted down the hallway towards their second period.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Be patient, San. We'll do it right after fourth period. Find out who she has for fourth and when the time comes we'll officially welcome her to McKinley," she told her.

Santana smiled mischievously. "I'll get one of the Cheerios to interrogate Jewfro. I'm a hundred percent sure he got a good look at Berry's schedule."

Quinn laughed. She and Santana had watched Jacob leer at Rachel all period. She had been so uncomfortable it was amusing to the two Cheerios.

The blonde and Santana had different second periods so they had to separate at one point. Quinn also needed to stop by her locker and drop off her English notebook so she headed up to the second floor. The hallways were crowded but once everybody saw it was Quinn, they parted like the red sea.

"Quinn! Hey!"

She had just unlocked her locker when the sound of her boyfriend calling out her name rang from the other end of the hallway. She looked his way and smiled.

Sam Evans was probably the cutest boy at McKinley. He was also quarterback and captain of the football team. Many of the students at McKinley assumed that since Sam was a jock, he was a douche like the rest of them. But the truth was that he was actually the nicest guy at school. Quinn loved that about him. She liked that he wasn't like the other jocks. They were assholes and would say crude things. Not Sam, he was sweet and always treated girls with respect.

"Hey babe," Quinn greeted as Sam approached. He bent down and placed a chaste kiss on Quinn's lips.

"I tried looking for you this morning but I couldn't find you," Sam told her as he leaned against the lockers. Quinn put away her notebook and checked herself in the small mirror she had perched inside.

"Ms. Pillsbury had me show the new girl to her first period. We have Castle together," she explained.

"Oh, that's cool. Is she nice? Everybody's talking about her but you know I'm not really into gossip," Sam asked.

Quinn smiled. Another reason why she liked Sam, he didn't believe in gossip.

"She's ok," she shrugged. "But what are other people saying?" she asked. Quinn was slightly curious to hear what everyone else was saying about the midget.

Sam bit his lip. He didn't know how to tell his girlfriend that all the guys were practically fantasizing about the new girl already. His friends had been very graphic when describing what they would do to her if they ever got the chance.

"Um… well… the guys think that she's… um… attractive? I guess you can say," Sam grimaced. He hardly spoke to Quinn about other girls. It was a very touchy subject. She never liked to admit it but she was a very jealous person.

"Oh?" Quinn raised a brow. "And what do you think?" she asked him. Sam felt like it was a trick question.

Sam shrugged. "I haven't seen her so I can't say anything, but to be honest, I really don't care. No one will ever be as beautiful as you," he whispered, leaning in for a kiss.

Quinn smiled and accepted the kiss. Sam was the perfect boyfriend. She wished she could find a way to fall in love with him but it just wasn't happening for her. It saddened her sometimes because Sam deserved to have someone love him.

They continued to kiss for about a minute until the bell rang. Quinn had to hurry because her second period was on the first floor.

"I'll see you at lunch, ok?" Quinn kissed his lips one more time.

"Yeah," Sam smiled and headed to his own class.

XxX

Kurt had always loved gossip, especially celebrity gossip. So when he found out Hiram Berry's daughter was to attend McKinley High School, he couldn't stop himself from bursting in excitement. _Finally, new blood_, had been one of Kurt's first thoughts. He thought it was finally time for something big to happen at McKinley, and Rachel's arrival was definitely big. She was the daughter of one of the richest men in the country. She was almost a celebrity.

He had absolutely no idea how the girl looked like but he imagined her to be pretty. Her father was a very handsome man so it was only fair that she also be devastatingly good-looking as well. So he wasn't surprised when Rachel walked into their fourth period looking like a goddess in what seemed to be a Marc Jacobs pleated skirt and an Alice+Olivia cashmere sweater with matching knee high socks and the most fabulous pair of red Kate Spade pumps. And to top it off, she was wearing the most adorable black beret. He envied her, but at the same time, he had completely fallen in love with her—platonically of course.

Kurt didn't even give her time to choose a seat before he got up and introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Kurt Hummel. Welcome to McKinley," he greeted. Rachel gave him a bright smile. Nobody had been so welcoming in her other classes.

"Hi, I'm Rachel. It's nice to meet you, Kurt. You're the first person to welcome me with so much warmth. Thank you," she spoke. Kurt's eyes brightened up. He wasn't expecting Rachel to be so polite. She had such a beautiful smile Kurt was beginning to question his sexuality. He had never been attracted to any girls before but he certainly thought something of Rachel. She was so warm. He liked that.

"Would you like to sit with me?" Kurt asked politely, pointing to his desk. Rachel gave him a shy smile and nodded. It had been the first time someone had ever offered her a seat. It probably had to do with the fact that Kurt was a gentlemen, and gay. His hair was perfectly coiffed and he was dressed head to toe in designer clothing.

The tiny brunette took a seat next to Kurt. She was so happy she finally found a person who wanted to interact with her. Everybody else had shied away. They were either intimidated by her or didn't give a rat's ass that she was there. It was a bit upsetting.

"What's your schedule like?" Kurt asked. The boy was curious to see if he shared any other classes with the brunette. Rachel took out her schedule and handed it to him. He looked it over and was surprised to see she was taking all AP classes this semester.

"Wow, this is impressive, Rachel. I can barely handle two AP classes; I don't know how you can handle four. The good thing is you have a free period and TA period. Who are you going to be aiding for?" the boy asked.

"I'm going to be Ms. Pillsbury's TA for this semester. And as for my free period, it won't be free for long. I plan on joining the glee club," she smiled matter-of-factly.

Kurt's heart skipped a beat with Rachel mentioned glee. It was like he had met his soul mate. He didn't know how this girl could be more perfect. She was pretty, she knew how to dress well, and she was planning on joining glee.

"Oh my god, this is so exciting!" Kurt squeaked. "I'm in glee! We're going to be in glee together!"

The smile on Rachel's face couldn't be any bigger. She decided then and there that Kurt was to be her new best friend at McKinley.

When they weren't taking notes or listening to the teacher, Rachel and Kurt spent the entire period conversing about fashion and music. When Kurt found out Rachel was a fan of Broadway, he almost dropped down on one knee and proposed. Rachel giggled with giddiness.

"So, where's your locker?" Kurt asked the brunette. The bell had just rung and they were exiting the classroom together.

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know, I haven't actually found it yet," she said shyly. She didn't want to be late to any of her classes so she didn't take the time between classes to look for it. She was planning on doing it during lunch.

"Don't worry. I'll help you find it. You should probably drop off your book bag before we head to lunch. It's completely unnecessary for you to be lugging it around during lunch.

"Thank you so much," Rachel beamed. She _really_ liked Kurt. She didn't know if it was because he reminded her so much of Blaine or because of the way he dressed, but she definitely felt a connection with him.

They walked around the second floor together until they found her locker. Kurt helped her open it up since it was a little troubling.

"I'm going to drop off my bag at my locker—it's just down the hall. I'll be right back," Kurt told her. "I don't want you getting lost, tiny," he teased. Kurt was very much taller than Rachel. Even in heels she was shorter than him by four inches.

"Don't worry, I won't go anywhere," she blushed. Kurt gave her a nod and took off down the hall.

The small brunette put her book bag in her locker and took a glance at the inside. She definitely wanted to decorate it. It was so plain and ugly. She was going to have to go buy some supplies to lively it up.

"Hello dwarf." Rachel heard someone say beside her.

She turned around to come face to face with the cheerleader who Quinn had been sitting next to in first period. She didn't seem so friendly.

"Hello," Rachel said politely. She didn't know what the girl's intentions were but they definitely weren't welcoming.

The cheerleader looked her up and down before speaking again. "So you're Berry's daughter, correct?"

Rachel nodded. Why would she ask her that? Didn't she know already?

"Ok, then let me tell you how this goin' be. You, hobbit, will stay out of my way and out of my friends' way, got it?" Santana pointed to the Cheerios who had gathered around. They were all glaring at Rachel. Some of the faces were familiar to Rachel. She had seen many of the girls glaring at her in the halls.

The tiny diva was bewildered by Santana's behavior. She wasn't sure why the cheerleader felt the need to intimidate Rachel. Had she threatened her in any way? It was her first day of school, she hardly spoke to anybody.

Rachel stood up straight and looked Santana straight in the eye. "How exactly would I be getting in your way? Explain it to me, because I honestly do not understand what I did to make you feel like I'm 'in your way'," Rachel challenged. She raised an eyebrow to make a point which didn't go so well with Santana.

_Who the fuck does she think she is?_ Santana internally raged. No one ever spoke to her like that.

"Alright listen, man hands," Santana spat. Rachel glanced down at her hands. She didn't see anything manly about them. _She's just trying to insult me. _"Just because your daddy is fucking rich doesn't mean you can go around acting like you're a fucking princess. You're nothing, you got that! So why don't you go back to Israel or wherever it is that you came from and stay there."

Rachel didn't even flinch which seemed to piss off Santana even more. She stood there with indifference written all over her face. She honestly didn't understand why the Latina was so hostile. Rachel hadn't done anything to make her seem arrogant or like a 'princess' as the cheerleader recalled.

"I still don't' get how I'm getting in your way. The only friend of yours that I've spoken to is that Quinn girl and I only greeted her once. If you don't want me to greet you and your friends then that's fine, but you don't need to be so hostile about it. And secondly, I don't flaunt my wealth or status. I also don't believe I'm royalty so I don't know why you think I act like a princess. Thirdly, I'm from New York City, not Israel. I should be offended that you're using my religion and culture to insult me, but I'll let it slide. Jews have taken a lot worse than mere verbal insults."

By the time Rachel was done with her piece the Cheerios surrounding them were trying not to laugh at Santana's expense. Quinn had arrived just before Rachel's speech and heard everything the tiny girl had said. She didn't find it funny that her best friend had just been thoroughly scolded by the midget.

Once Santana lunged forward Quinn knew she had to hold her back. She couldn't risk Santana getting suspended, or worse, expelled. Rachel's father was Hiram Berry after all and if his daughter ever got hurt it would be their asses. A slushie was harmless, but Santana's fist could do damage.

Several of the girls got a hold of Santana and dragged her away as she shouted expletive words at Rachel. The tiny girl didn't even flinch..

The only girls left behind were Quinn and the two Cheerios who were carrying ice cold slushies. They were hiding behind her, waiting for Quinn to say the word so they could throw it in Rachel's face.

Rachel looked at the Latina cheerleader with pity as she was being dragged away by her friends. She was completely baffled by the exchange and couldn't comprehend why she acted the way did or what she had against her.

"Are you happy now?" Quinn spoke up.

Rachel turned to face the blonde cheerleader. She hadn't seen her there before.

"Why would I be happy?" Rachel responded, keeping her facade of indifference intact.

"Because no one makes a fool of a Cheerio," Quinn hissed. "You'll regret this." She said before snapping her fingers and triggering the two Cheerios to throw slushies in her face.

Rachel felt like she had just been bitch slapped by a block of ice. It was painfully cold and numbing. She stood frozen while Quinn and her cronies walked away.

When Quinn looked back to look at Rachel she smiled and crooned with faux enthusiasm, "Welcome to McKinley!"

* * *

**Another chapter coming soon! Review! Pls and thank you! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**I want to thank you all so so much for all your reviews, favorites, and follows! You all are amazing! Some of you are really getting into it and it makes me really happy that you guys can connect with the characters and how i'm writing them. It's a big motivator so thank you again :) Here's the next chapter, i hope you guys enjoy it!**

**disclaimer: I don't own glee.**

* * *

"Oh my god, Rachel!" gasped Kurt when he spotted the tiny brunette. She was completely covered in red slush and was literally frozen in place.

He ran to her and quickly wiped the icky red mixture from her face. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her body was shaking from the cold temperature of the ice. Not to mention her once cream-colored sweater was now stained in different shades of red.

"We need to get you cleaned up, come with me," Kurt said as he dragged Rachel to the nearest restroom. When they made it inside he made sure it was empty before locking the door. Rachel stood in the middle of the restroom with her hands clenched at her sides and her eyes closed.

"Rachel you need to open your eyes so we can wash your face. If we wait any longer it's going to get really sticky and uncomfortable," Kurt told her. He knew it was best to get cleaned up right away before things got even stickier.

Rachel nodded but didn't even try to speak. She let Kurt guide her over to the sink and turned on the faucet. Once the water was running Rachel cupped her hands and started splashing water in her face.

"Who did this to you, Rachel?" Kurt inquired. He was helping Rachel get some of the slush out of her hair. It had been styled so perfectly and now it was sticky and damp.

"It was these two cheerleaders," Rachel told him. She was really thankful for Kurt helping her out, but at the moment she was feeling so violated from the slushie attack that she didn't even feel like talking. She just wanted to go home and curl up in bed with a blanket.

Kurt huffed. "Do you know who? You know what, it doesn't matter. I will talk to Quinn today about keeping her Cheerios on a tighter leash. She'll make them pay for it."

Rachel tensed up when Kurt mentioned Quinn. She had been a part of it. She might have not been the one to throw the frozen beverage, but she sure participated in ostracizing her.

"While I'm glad you're offering to speak to Quinn on my behalf, I don't think it will help much. Quinn was behind the incident, her and her friend, the one with the dark brown hair and tan skin. I'm positive the girl is Hispanic," Rachel informed him.

Kurt's eyes widened. "You're saying Quinn and Santana were behind it?" he asked.

Rachel nodded. She knew it was them two who had convinced the other girls to slushie her. Quinn seemed like the leader of the group. It was the snap of her fingers that triggered it. It was definitely Quinn. But Rachel didn't understand why. What had she done to the blonde cheerleader to upset her so much? Santana had mentioned Rachel acting arrogant and pretentious, but that couldn't have been it because Rachel hadn't acted arrogant or pretentious all morning. She had been kind to everyone she encountered, including Quinn.

_Maybe they're just jealous?_ Rachel thought. Why else would they act so hostile towards her? They didn't know anything about her except her father was wealthy.

"Rachel, are you sure?" Kurt asked, pulling Rachel out of her thoughts. "Tell me exactly what happened."

And Rachel did. She told him about her confrontation with Santana, the things they said to each other, how some of the cheerleaders had to drag her away, and what Quinn had told her before allowing the two cheerleaders to throw the slushies in her face. Kurt looked pretty horrified when she was finished.

"I honestly can't believe Quinn ordered those slushies. Ever since she, Santana and Brittany joined glee club, they've stopped terrorizing people. I wonder what caused them to do this. It's like they went back to being their old selves. Santana can still be a bitch sometimes but she doesn't just randomly confront new students," Kurt explained.

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you're saying Quinn and Santana are in glee club?" Rachel questioned. How was she going to audition now? They hated her.

Kurt nodded. "Yeah, they joined sophomore year. They used to slushie all of us glee kids until they joined. After that they stopped. That's why I'm shocked that they did this. It was way out of line."

Kurt was really upset. How could Quinn do something like that? He and the blonde never had a great friendship but they were cordial with each other and were even dance partners sometimes. He truly thought Quinn had changed after she joined glee. He didn't understand why she had gone back to that dark place she had been in the beginning of sophomore year. There had to be a reason why Quinn didn't like Rachel and he was going to find out.

He watched as Rachel finished washing her face. Then she looked down at her sweater and touched it, her fingers almost sticking to the fabric. This called for his clean-up kit. _Thank god I keep one in my car just in case._

"Rachel, I'm going to go to my car and get my clean-up kit. Stay here and start rinsing out your hair," Kurt told her. It looked like he was skipping lunch today.

"Clean-up kit?" Rachel raised a brow.

"Yeah, I used to get slushied all the time so I have a clean-up kit in my car. It has shampoo, conditioner, and stuff like that. I'm going to get mine. Lock the restroom door so no one comes in," Kurt ordered.

Rachel was a little overwhelmed but agreed to stay in the restroom until Kurt came back with his clean up kit. It sounded like getting slushied was a reoccurring thing. She started to wonder if maybe she needed a clean-up kit, too. She hoped not.

Rachel looked down at her sweater again and figured it was a good idea to take it off before it stuck to her skin. She reached down to grasp the hem of it and pulled it over her head. She was thankful she had decided to wear a black camisole under her sweater.

She did as Kurt asked and started rinsing her hair. She was bent over so her head was in the sink. She was trying not to get her skirt and knee highs wet since they had survived the attack. Right when she was about finished, she heard Kurt knocking on the restroom door. She squeezed the water out of her hair and walked over to unlock the door.

"I'm back!" Kurt said brightly holding a small duffle bag. He also had a chair in his hand. It looked like he had taken it from one of the classrooms.

Kurt walked to one of the sinks and placed the chair in front of it. "Ok, sit," he ordered.

"What are you going to do?" Rachel asked as she sat down in the chair. It was apparent that Kurt had gone through this before so she wasn't going to refuse his help.

"We're going to wash your hair and then see what we can do with it. We have 45 minutes until lunch is over. I also have a shirt you can borrow so you don't have to walk around nearly topless in this very thin and revealing camisole," he said as he eyed her chest. Rachel blushed.

Kurt began to wash Rachel's hair and she felt oddly at ease with Kurt running his hands through her hair. It wasn't awkward at all. They had only known each other for about an hour and already Kurt was turning out to be a great friend. Rachel couldn't help but smile.

"So Rachel, why'd you move to Lima?" Kurt asked as he continued to wash her hair. He was very curious to know why the unknown child of Hiram Berry was now in Lima. Did she only find out recently that he was her father? Or were they just estranged?

Rachel knew somebody would ask her sooner or later why she was in town. She was actually surprised that it took this long for someone to ask her.

"My mom had some work to do out of the country so I decided to stay with my dad until she comes back," she told him. Rachel decided early on not to mention her mother. It would only work against her now that she knew there were people in the school who didn't like her because of her wealth and status. Telling people that Shelby Corcoran was her mother would only make things worse.

"Oh," Kurt was a bit disappointed. He was hoping for a little more info. "Is this the first time your mother has worked out of the country?" he asked.

Rachel shook her head. "No, it's not. Usually I accompany her but she didn't want me to miss school now that I'm a senior."

"How thoughtful, but I bet you wanted to go, huh?" Kurt grinned. Rachel smiled.

"Yes, I did, but I don't regret not going. I really haven't spent enough time with my dad so I'm happy for that. He's great, I just don't see him that much since I live in New York."

Kurt's hands froze in Rachel's hair when she mentioned New York. "You live in New York?" he gasped.

Rachel chuckled. "Yeah, I've lived there all my life. It's the only place I've ever really known."

"Oh my god, I'm so jealous!" Kurt squealed. "I've always wanted to go to New York but my dad would never let me go alone. He works a lot and so does my step mom."

Rachel smiled. Kurt enthusiasm was endearing.

"Well I think you should definitely go. Maybe we can meet up and I can show you around?"

Kurt looked at Rachel with awe. "You would do that?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I? I like you, Kurt. You're washing my hair for crying out loud," Rachel laughed.

Kurt blushed and continued washing Rachel's hair. "Thanks. I would love to get a Rachel Berry tour of New York."

"Good," Rachel smiled. "And you don't have to thank me. I should be the one thanking you. You're the one helping me after getting two slushies thrown in my face."

"It's no problem, Rachel. As much as I hate having to deal with this because of the trauma it's caused me, I'm happy to help you out. I honestly think you didn't deserve it. Those girls are just jealous of you. You're a very pretty girl with amazing fashion sense and your dad has enough money to live out multiple lifetimes. Who wouldn't be jealous? I just think the way they handled their emotions was wrong."

Rachel couldn't agree more.

"So are you going to tell your father?" Kurt asked as he rinsed the conditioner from her hair.

"No, I don't think so. I don't want to cause my father problems. Besides, I think Quinn and Santana might have it out for me even more if I tell on them," Rachel explained.

She was not stupid. She knew if she told her father about what had happened he would go to the school and demand Quinn—and the rest of the Cheerios involved―to be suspended or expelled. That wouldn't do her any good. She needed people to like her not hate her.

Kurt nodded. He also thought it was better if Rachel kept quiet. He didn't want her getting hurt. Santana would probably try to hurt Rachel, not to mention Coach Sylvester. If any of her Cheerios ever got suspended, she would go on a rampage.

It took approximately fifteen minutes to style Rachel's hair. Before the slushies her hair had been curled loosely so it flowed past her shoulders and down her back. Since Kurt didn't have a curler or straightening iron, he and Rachel decided that an updo was the best option. He worked styling mousse into her hair and dried it so it was wavy, then Rachel pulled it up and styled it into a cute messy bun with some pins that Kurt had.

"You look gorgeous!" Kurt squealed as he saw the final product.

Rachel blushed. She had never gotten so many compliments in one day.

"Thank you Kurt, but it was all you. I couldn't have done it without you and your clean up kit," she giggled.

Kurt blushed. It was true, but he wasn't going to say it out loud.

"Now we have to get you into a new shirt which I have in my duffel bag. It's a white button up so it won't look bad. All we have to do is roll up the sleeves and tie it at the bottom. You'll look like a disheveled school girl but I have a feeling you can make it work."

Rachel stepped into one of the stalls and took off the black camisole she was wearing. Kurt threw over his shirt and Rachel put it on. It was a bit big, but like Kurt mentioned, if they rolled up the sleeves and tied it down at the bottom it would look fine.

Rachel stepped out with Kurt's shirt buttoned all the way to the top. Immediately Kurt unfastened the top two buttons.

"There, that looks better. Now let's roll up your sleeves and tie the bottom," Kurt said as he adjusted Rachel's top.

Rachel just stood there as Kurt made the adjustments. He was like a fashion expert. He knew exactly what to do to make it look good.

"_Voila_!" Kurt exclaimed as he finished making the adjustments. He pushed Rachel towards the mirror so she could see.

"Wow, Kurt," Rachel said amazed. "It looks good!"

She looked at herself in the mirror and was surprised by what she saw. She didn't look like her usual self. This looks was a lot sexier than how she usually dressed. It was probably the school girl thing that made it seem sexier. If her father ever saw her like this, he would die.

"You are totally going to be the envy of every girl in this school. You look hot, and that's coming from me," Kurt explained, making it clear that he was―in fact—gay.

"Thanks," Rachel's face flushed, "Let just hope I don't get another slushie thrown at me. I'd like to avoid those from now on."

Kurt nodded. "Don't worry. They won't slushie you twice in one day. Just stick with me."

"Ok," Rachel gave Kurt a shy smile. Kurt smiled back.

The bell was about to ring so Rachel and Kurt started cleaning up the restroom. Kurt put everything away in his duffle and Rachel gathered her dirty camisole and sweater.

"I love this," Kurt picked up Rachel's beret. He didn't have any berets himself but always wanted one. The ones they had in Lima weren't as nice as Rachel's. The fabric was just heavenly.

Rachel saw how Kurt admired her beret. She looked over his ensemble and noticed how well the beret would go with it.

"Why don't you wear it," Rachel suggested. Kurt raised a brow at her.

"You would let me borrow your beret? It looks expensive," Kurt told her.

Rachel shrugged. It _was_ expensive but he did so much for her it was the least she could do.

"I have others. You can keep it," she smiled at him.

Kurt grinned and threw his arms around her. She giggled and hugged him back. It was nice to have a new friend, especially one who gave such comforting hugs.

"You are amazing. Thank you so much," he told her.

"It's no problem, Kurt. You are an incredible person. I'm really happy I met you," she told him.

"For some reason, hearing that come from you means a lot. I'm glad I met you too," he said, giving her one last squeeze and then letting her go. He gave her a quick onceover to make sure she looked perfect.

"Hm… there's something missing," he said as he scanned her outfit. Rachel tilted her head to the side in question.

"I thought you said I looked fine?"

"You do, you look almost perfect. You're just missing one thing," he smirked. He reached to the collar of his shirt and began to undo his crimson colored tie.

"Oh no, I can't take your tie, Kurt. It's too much. I already took your shirt," she said as she watched him remove his tie.

"Nonsense, Rachel. It'll look fabulous on you. You can't be a school girl without a tie," Kurt objected, throwing the tie around Rachel's neck. He tied it and then loosened it up so it looked slightly disheveled.

"Britney Spears would be proud," Kurt crooned. Rachel just laughed and tugged on Kurt's arm as she walked out of the restroom.

The two of them stopped by their lockers to drop off their belongings. There was still a big bright red puddle by Rachel's locker so she tried not to step on it as she retrieved her book bag and dropped off her dirty sweater.

Rachel accompanied Kurt to his locker and then both of them decided to head to Ms. Pillsbury's office where Rachel was expected next period. Kurt was going to wait with her until the bell rang.

"What class do you have next?" Rachel asked him as they walked down the hall towards Ms. Pillsbury's office.

"French III," he mumbled. It was one of his favorite subjects but definitely the hardest.

"Comme c'est excitant!" Rachel exclaimed.

Kurt's eyes widened. "You know French?"

Rachel nodded eagerly. "Oui, je le parle couramment."

"I hate you," Kurt deadpanned. Rachel giggled. French wasn't the only language she was fluent in. But she wasn't going to disclose that tidbit of information just yet.

By the time they made it to Ms. Pillsbury's office the bell had already rung. Kurt left Rachel out in the hall and promised to come back for her so they could head to glee together. They were both very excited.

"Hello Ms. Pillsbury," Rachel greeted as she walked into Ms. Pillsbury's office. Emma's eyes went wide when she saw Rachel. Her wardrobe had completely changed from when she last saw her.

"Rachel, what happened to the sweater you were wearing?" Emma asked. She was trying not to stare at her student but it was kind of hard when she looked like she belonged in a Britney Spears video.

"Oh," Rachel hesitated. She didn't know what to tell Ms. Pillsbury. "I had a bit of an accident during lunch. My sweater was ruined and my new friend Kurt let me borrow his shirt."

Emma nodded. "Ok, just making sure you're ok. The kids around here have a tradition of throwing slushies. I just wanted to make sure you weren't a target."

Rachel shook her head. "Oh no, it was nothing like that," she lied. Emma smiled and motioned for her to sit down.

For the entire period Emma had Rachel lick envelopes and print out addresses. Emma was sending out letters to the parents of those students who were at risk of not graduating. She took her job as a guidance counselor very serious.

Since Rachel had done such a good job with the envelopes, Ms. Pillsbury decided to dismiss Rachel five minutes early before the bell rang. Rachel was thrilled and decided to head out immediately. She remembered Kurt mentioning that his French class was at the end of the hall so she made her way to the classroom. When the bell rang, Kurt was the first one out of his class.

"Hey! Are you ready for glee?" she asked excitedly. Kurt chuckled. Rachel's enthusiasm was amusing, yet refreshing. Nobody in glee club was ever that excited.

"Yeah, let's go," he said grabbing her arm and tugging her along down the hallway.

The choir room was on the second floor. Rachel and Kurt walked up the staircase with their arms linked. When they reached the second floor the whispers in the hallway became louder. All eyes were on her. She heard a couple of cat calls and even some groans. It was a bit disturbing. Kurt was chuckling next to her. He thought it was amusing.

When they entered the choir room Rachel was surprised by how lovely it was. She didn't expect it to be so nice.

"Rachel, so glad you could make it," Mr. Schuester greeted. Rachel gave him a smile and a nod. "I wouldn't miss it."

Mr. Schue noticed Rachel was clinging on tightly to Kurt, one of the current glee club members. He was glad Rachel was making friends.

"Kurt, go ahead and take a seat with Rachel. We're going to wait for the rest of the group to come in," Mr. Schuester instructed before heading into his office.

They were the only ones there so they got to pick where to sit. Rachel decided that she wanted to sit up front.

"I'm nervous," Rachel murmured. She had been excited last period but now she was a bit anxious.

Kurt turned to her and gave her a comforting pat on the knee. "Don't be. You'll be fine. You won't be performing today. If anything you'll get to see us make a fool out of ourselves," he chuckled lightly.

Rachel gave him a small smile. "You're going to do great. I can't wait to hear you sing."

Kurt was touched by Rachel's kind words. He really hoped she'd like Glee club. Having her in Glee would make it so much better.

A couple of glee members walked into the room laughing and giggling. They caught Rachel's attention immediately.

Tina, Mercedes, Mike, and Artie were veteran glee club members. They had all joined sophomore year. Neither of them had seen Rachel all day so they didn't know what to expect when they saw her for the first time sitting on the risers.

The room was silent and it was starting to get a little awkward. Rachel just sat there next to Kurt smiling. These people were going to be her new teammates.

She stood from her chair and walked over gracefully to the four bodies standing motionless by the door.

"Hello, I'm Rachel Berry," she flashed her signature smile. Artie almost fainted when she looked down at him.

"I'm Artie," he swallowed hard, extending his gloved hand to Rachel. She took it and gave it a light shake.

"It's very nice to meet you Artie," she smiled sweetly. He had a goofy grin on his face.

Rachel turned to Mercedes and extended her hand out to her. Mercedes looked at and hesitantly took it.

"Mercedes Jones, female lead," she told her. There was some animosity behind her words and Rachel definitely took note of that.

Rachel didn't say anything, just nodded.

Mike gladly shook Rachel's hand and introduced himself to her. "Mike Chang." The two of them exchanged smiles.

Tina was the last one to introduce herself. "Tina Cohen-Chang, no relation," she said. Rachel looked between Mike and Tina. Why would she assume they were related? Just because they were both Asian? _That would be racist._

"Well it's really nice to meet all of you. I can't wait to hear you guys sing. I'm very excited," Rachel gushed.

Kurt tried to stifle his laughter when he saw the look on his friends' faces. They all looked surprised by how bubbly Rachel was. Not to mention how excited she was about glee.

Rachel turned and took her seat next to Kurt. The rest of the group followed and took their seat on the risers. They all sat close to each other.

theturned around to get some information from her new acquaintances but didn't get to speak before somebody stormed into the room. Rachel turned around and spotted a really tall dark haired boy walking towards them. The boy froze when he saw Rachel. _Whoa._

Finn stood there in front of the class just staring at Rachel. Rachel in return was getting a bit uncomfortable under the boy's heated gaze.

"W-Who are you?" Finn stuttered. Kurt rolled his eyes and face palmed himself. _Can he be any dumber?_

Rachel raised an eyebrow. This boy was not well-mannered at all.

"I'm Rachel," she spoke. She didn't feel the need to get up and shake his hand. She was slightly creeped out by the fact that he was still leering at her. _Has he even blinked?_

The rest of the group were giggling at Finn and how dumb he looked by just standing there and staring. It was no wonder he couldn't get a girlfriend after Quinn dumped him. He wasn't smooth at all.

"Finn, stop staring. It's rude!" Kurt ordered. Finn finally broke his stare and turned to look at Kurt, who was comfortably sitting next to the hot new girl.

Kurt turned to Rachel who had seemed a bit uncomfortable.

"Don't mind my stepbrother. He has absolutely no game," he whispered. It was loud enough for everyone to hear though. Everybody started laughing except for Finn and Rachel. Finn looked embarrassed while Rachel looked at him with sympathy. The boy had no game at all.

Finn rushed to Rachel and extended his hand down to her. He was super tall and she was sitting down. Looking up at him was a bit daunting for Rachel.

"I'm Finn Hudson. Kurt's my stepbrother. His dad married my mom," he stammered. Rachel gave him a tiny smile and took his hand cautiously. It was like putting her hand in a bear paw.

"Your hands are tiny, and soft," Finn blurted out. Kurt face palmed again and the rest of the group laughed. Rachel felt embarrassed for the guy.

Finn's face turned red and immediately rushed to take the seat on the other side of Kurt. The sassy boy almost laughed out loud when he noticed Finn had set his backpack on his lap.

Rachel stared at Finn as he looked up to the ceiling. Rachel looked on with bewilderment. "Is your stepbrother ok?" she whispered to Kurt. Kurt held in a giggle. "Yeah, he's fine."

The group started talking again with Rachel included this time. They were talking about their past competitions when two other members walked in.

"We're back, bitches!" Puck announced as him and Matt walked into the room. Rachel turned around to face the boy with the loud voice. She was pleasantly surprised to see a rather handsome boy with a mohawk strut into the class. The boy next to him wasn't bad either. He was dark skinned, just like Mercedes.

Rachel didn't know what to make of the boy with the Mohawk. He seemed really arrogant, but somehow she found his looks to be charming. She smiled brightly when she caught his attention. He had a pair of beautiful hazel-green eyes. It really went well with his golden tan skin and dark hair.

_Tall, dark, and handsome._

Puck had never been much of a romantic, cheesy type guy. He loved to mess around with girls who were hot, but that was about it. He didn't get affectionate and he didn't date. He was the most promiscuous guy in the school. He didn't get feelings for any girls. The only feelings he got were in his pants. But when he saw Rachel, he felt feelings somewhere else, a place just above his groin. It felt different, weird.

When Rachel smiled at him, he felt the feelings again. It was like he had swallowed something whole and now it was moving around in his stomach. _What the fuck was in that hamburger I ate?_

The girl was hot. He also knew she was billionaire Berry's daughter. He never expected her to look like that. She was so sexy and… he didn't know how to describe it. She was beyond sexy. _Pretty_ he guessed was the word for it, but much more than that. _Like very, very, very pretty_, he thought.

Rachel watched as the boy ogled her. Surprisingly, she didn't feel uncomfortable under the boy's heated gaze. She just continued to smile as the boy approached her.

"Hello, sweetheart," Puck greeted. Rachel blushed. Puck extended his hand out but with his palm faced up. Rachel put her dainty hand in it and he brought up the back of her hand to his lips. Everybody in the room was looking at them with wide eyes.

"Hi, I'm Rachel," she spoke. The gesture had touched her.

"I'm Noah Puckerman, but everyone calls me Puck," he gave her a half smile. Again, everyone in the room gawked at Puck as he actually introduced himself by his given name. He hated his first name.

"Well it's very nice to meet you, Noah," Rachel smiled shyly. He let go of her hand and flashed her one last smile before taking a seat next to her. They held each other's gaze until Matt walked up to Rachel and introduced himself. She shook his hand and he took a seat on the other side of Noah. Rachel was now completely surrounded by boys.

Mr. Schue walked back into the room and greeted the members who had arrived. Will was surprised to see Puck staring at Rachel with such soft eyes. He usually tried to pick up any girl within distance but all he did was look at her. Rachel wasn't paying attention to him because she was busy talking with Kurt.

"What the hell is this?" a raspy voice screeched. Everyone turned to look at Santana who had just entered the room with Brittany. Rachel put on her mask of indifference and braced herself for confrontation.

She stood from her seat and walked over towards Santana. Kurt immediately stood and walked behind her.

Once Rachel was close enough, she stuck out her hand. "Hello, I never formally introduced myself. I'm Rachel," she greeted.

Santana looked at Rachel like she had grown two heads. She had a small smile on her face. Santana felt anger build up inside.

"I know your name, hobbit," Santana hissed, glaring at Rachel's outreached hand. The diva shrugged and put her hand back on her side.

"And yours? I didn't catch it last time we spoke," Rachel said indifferently.

"Santana Fucking Lopez, that's my name," she retorted.

Rachel nodded, "Nice to meet you, Santana."

The tiny brunette turned to the girl next to Santana and smiled brightly. She was also a cheerleader but seemed pretty harmless. The blonde girl with pretty blue eyes was smiling at Rachel.

"Hi, I'm Rachel," she extended her hand to the blonde. The girl eagerly took Rachel's hand and shook it.

"I'm Brittany S. Pierce. You're hot," Brittany spoke with enthusiasm. Rachel blushed and Santana raged.

"What the hell are you doing here, dwarf?" Santana demanded, taking a step in front of Brittany.

"I'm interested in joining glee club. I'm here to observe today's lesson," Rachel answered nonchalantly.

Santana's eyes went wide. She wasn't expecting this. She clearly remembered telling the hobbit that she was to stay out of her way. This was not staying out of her way.

"Well too bad, we're full," Santana shrugged.

"That's not true, Santana," Kurt cut in. Santana glared at him.

"You're friends with her, Hummel? I guess I should have expected it. You two pretty ponies are a match made in heaven," Santana chuckled humorlessly.

Rachel smirked.

Santana noticed Rachel's smirk and glared at her. She wasn't going to let the hobbit ruin her day even more.

"Come on Britt, let's take a seat over here," Santana said dragging a dreamy eyed Brittany to the risers.

Kurt looked to Rachel to see if she was ok and she just smiled and shrugged. She wasn't going to let Santana intimidate her.

Rachel was about to go back to her seat when she heard footsteps approaching. She looked back to the door and saw Quinn and a cute blonde boy walk in. Her eyes immediately found Quinn's and they gazed at each other. Rachel felt something stirring in her chest. It was like a hiccup of some sort. She unconsciously bit her lower lip and Quinn immediately broke eye contact.

She couldn't look at the girl. Because all she could feel was guilt as she stared into Rachel's eyes. The entire day had gone by and she felt fine up until she walked into glee. She wasn't expecting to see Rachel there dressed so provocatively with her hair up in a messy bun and shirt tied at her waist. Quinn swallowed hard when their eyes met and she felt something flutter inside her. The feeling made her breathing hitch and when the tiny brunette bit her lip, she couldn't do it.

"Hello Quinn," Rachel greeted. Quinn couldn't look at the girl. She was feeling guilty and something else. Something that was making her insides twist. Anger maybe? It didn't feel like it, but it had to be anger. It was a very strong feeling and the only strong feeling she ever felt was anger. So she looked up at Rachel and glared at her. But Rachel wasn't paying attention to Quinn―she was smiling up at Sam, her boyfriend who in return gave Rachel a friendly smile. Quinn saw red as her boyfriend introduced himself to Rachel and vice versa. Rachel was giving Sam that bright smile, the one that could light up a football field.

Before the head cheerleader lost it, she grabbed Sam's hand and dragged him to where Santana and Brittany were sitting. She watched as Rachel and Kurt took their seats back in front of the class room and began to talk to the glee members around them. Quinn glared murderously at the brunette, but the girl only smiled at those around her.

Quinn turned to Sam. "If you ever speak to her again, you and I are over. You got that?" the blonde said through gritted teeth. Sam swallowed hard and nodded.

Quinn's day had just gotten worse.

* * *

**There you go! Next chapter should be up by tomorrow :D Don't forget to review! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you so much guys for all of your favs and follows! And keep the reviews coming! They're great! I hope you enjoy this chapter :D**

**disclaimer: I do not own glee**

* * *

"So what did you think?" Kurt asked as he and Rachel walked out the doors of McKinley. School had just ended and everybody was rushing to get out.

"It was so good! I'm impressed," Rachel replied.

And it wasn't a lie. Rachel had really been impressed by the glee club, which she earlier found out was also referred to as the New Directions. The group had performed two numbers for Rachel. From what she was told, both numbers had been performed in previous show choir competitions. They had won last year's sectionals with those two specific performances. Rachel was highly impressed.

The first performance the group had performed was a rendition of Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes' "I've Had the Time of My Life" from the popular movie Dirty Dancing. It was so thrilling to Rachel to watch her peers perform such an iconic song.

Rachel had to admit the vocals could have been stronger, but she was still mesmerized by Quinn's sultry alto. The cheerleader was so graceful during her performance. It was like watching a doe or swan in its natural habitat. She was so soft with her footwork and body movements. It made the brunette's chest hiccup more than once.

The chemistry between Quinn and Sam had been adequate, but Rachel could tell Quinn had to put more effort into coming across as lovers during the performance. It was surprising because Quinn and Sam _were _an actual couple. She expected the two love birds to be completely immersed in each other during the love song. Sam was, but Quinn wasn't.

The second performance had been totally unexpected. Rachel never thought in a million years that Santana would belt out such a lovely rendition of Amy Whinehouse's version of "Valerie." She had such a smoky voice that was raspy and deep. Rachel really enjoyed it. She smiled throughout the entire performance which probably threw Santana slightly off guard. Just because Santana didn't like Rachel didn't mean she felt the same way.

In the end Rachel was very pleased. Everyone in the glee club had talent—even Finn who was a little sharp. Mercedes had an amazing voice, as did Artie. They were probably the best singers in there followed by Santana and Kurt. The rest of them were good but not as strong. Rachel was willing to help them out. She did have years of vocal lessons under her belt and she knew exactly how to help them improve their singing. She was so excited to start working with them.

"What'd you think of my singing?" Kurt asked. Rachel turned to the boy, who seemed a bit nervous as if he was being critiqued by Simon Cowell himself.

"I thought your voice was lovely, Kurt," she smiled.

She actually did like Kurt's voice. He was a countertenor which meant he had a slightly high singing voice. It was perfect in pitch, almost as if he had been classically trained. It was definitely unique.

Kurt grabbed Rachel's hand and gave it a little squeeze as they walked together to the parking lot. Rachel had received a text from her dad alerting her that he would be picking her up from school in the student parking lot. Kurt offered to stay with her until her father picked her up since he had to stay after school and wait for Finn to get out of football practice. It was unfortunate for Kurt that Finn had gotten his truck taken away for almost killing a civil servant after running him over. Now he had to drive his stepbrother to and from school.

"Have you planned out what song you're going to sing tomorrow?" Kurt asked. "I'm very excited to hear you sing!" He had heard Rachel hum a little during glee. He wanted to hear more of her.

Rachel bit her lip. There were tons of songs she was thinking about singing. It was hard to pick just one.

"Kind of," she answered. "I'm thinking of going with something out of the Broadway catalog, but I'm not sure yet. There are many songs that suit my voice perfectly. It's just so hard to pick one."

Kurt chuckled. Rachel was definitely showing some arrogance. But he wasn't going to call her out on it because he definitely had his moments of arrogance, too.

"Well as long as you pick something to sing. I can't wait! Quinn and Santana are convinced you can't sing. I hope you can show them up. Those two girls really have it out for you."

Rachel nodded. She had no idea what she had done to piss off Quinn and Santana so much. They glared at her the entire glee period and even shoved her once or twice when they were exiting the class room. It was a good thing Noah had been there when Rachel almost tripped. He had put his arms around her waist and caught her before she hit the ground. His arms had felt so nice wrapped around her body that it made it difficult for her to let go.

"Kurt, what can you tell me about Noah" Rachel inquired. She had been so curious about him ever since he walked into glee and made her feel all sorts of giddiness.

Kurt scrunched up his nose. "Why? What do you want to know?" he replied.

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know. Everything I guess. He just seems very interesting," she said coyly. Her smile didn't fool Kurt.

His eyes widened. "Oh no, please don't tell me you're crushing on Puck. That is not good, Rachel."

Her eyes furrowed. "Why? Is he bad?"

Kurt nodded. "Yes! He's only like the biggest man whore at McKinley. He's slept with more than half of the girls in the entire school, including Santana and Brittany. I get it, Rachel. I really do. Puck is charming and he is very good looking but he uses girls and then leaves them hanging. Noah Puckerman is not a good guy."

Rachel's face fell entirely. Noah had been such a gentleman in class. The way he greeted her in class had made her heart race and stomach tingle. Not only that but he had made eye contact with her during the performances as if he was singing the songs to her. It had made her smile bigger than a kid at Disneyland and that was supposed to be the happiest place on earth.

"I don't believe it. He was so nice to me in class, Kurt. You saw him kiss my hand. He didn't say one crass thing to me all period and he even sang to me during the performances. Your description of Noah doesn't make any sense. How is it possible for him to be both a gentleman and a jerk?" Rachel questioned.

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know. It was really weird seeing him act like that. It's definitely different, but I'm not sure if it's honest. He could be acting like that just to get into your skirt. I don't know if you've noticed Rachel, but you're not exactly like any of the girls around here. You have class, what many of the girls here don't have. One of them being Santana," he grumbled.

Rachel couldn't really disagree with that. Santana was vulgar and crass. It was surprising to her how someone like Santana could be with someone as sweet as Brittany. She was so bubbly and approachable. Rachel really liked her. She had spoken to Rachel a bit throughout glee and called her a unicorn several times. Rachel didn't really know what it meant to be a unicorn but she took it as a compliment seeing as Brittany would hug her every time she would say it. The cheerleader gave very comforting hugs.

The sound of a car honking pulled Rachel out of her thoughts. She turned to look at Kurt who was leering at something in the distance. She looked at what he was staring at and found her dad waiting for her in the car a couple yards away. She smiled and waved at him.

"Your dad is so handsome and good-looking," Kurt sighed. Rachel laughed.

"Ok, well it looks like I have to go. Thank you again for today, Kurt. I really owe you one," Rachel said as she hugged the boy. He put his arms around her and gave her a light squeeze.

"No problem, just promise me you'll come back tomorrow," he pleaded. Rachel chuckled. "Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world. And besides, I have to return your shirt, right?" she pulled at her collar.

Her shirt was no longer tied at the waist but tucked in neatly. She had buttoned the shirt completely and tightened the tie around her neck. The tiny brunette no longer looked like a disheveled school girl. She didn't want her daddy to see her like that and have a conniption.

Kurt nodded and gave her one last hug. They had exchanged phone numbers in the last few minutes of class so they could text each other.

"Hey daddy," Rachel smiled brightly as she entered her father's car and reached over to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"You seem happy," Hiram smiled. "What happened to your sweater?" he asked. He thought what she was wearing was definitely better than what she had worn in the morning, but he was curious to know why she had changed into something different.

"Whose shirt is that? It looks like a men's shirt? Should I be worried about that boy you hugged? Is it his?" he interrogated. Rachel giggled.

"It's my friend Kurt's shirt. He let me borrow it because I had an accident in the lunch room today. I bumped into this girl and she spilled her drink on me. It's no big deal," she answered. She figured she'd tell her dad the same story she told Ms. Pillsbury.

"Okay… well that was nice of him. Should I be concerned about this Kurt?" he raised a brow. Rachel giggled.

"No daddy, Kurt is harmless. He's gay," she told him. Hiram narrowed his eyes at her.

"Are you sure he's gay? Some guys just say that to get close to you," he told her. Rachel rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Trust me daddy, Kurt is Gay with a capital G." She laughed. Hiram gave her a smirk.

He thought it was a good idea to take Rachel out for some lunch since he had taken the day off. Rachel in return thought it was a brilliant idea so they headed to a nice Italian restaurant in the city. The food was delicious and she had enjoyed the light conversation she had with her dad.

He had asked her so many questions about her day it was hard for her to answer them all. She told him about her classes and about how she planned to join glee. They talked about the songs she was considering for her audition and how excellent they all were. She was really enjoying spending time with her father and it was only the third day. She hoped it would be like this for the next two months. She really missed having her dad.

In the back of her mind, Rachel felt guilty lying to her dad about the slushie incident. She knew telling him was the right thing to do but she didn't want to cause any problems. From what Kurt had mentioned, the cheerleading coach was intense and very active in the lives of the Cheerios. Sue Sylvester was a monster. She demanded perfection from her Cheerios in all aspects of their high school careers. If even one of them got into trouble, it would cause outrage and Rachel didn't want that. She didn't want to cause problems for herself or her father. So she pushed the slushie incident to the back of her mind and continued to have a lovely afternoon with her father.

XxX

"Santana are you sure the midget won't go to her father? For an estranged daughter, she sure seems like a daddy's girl," Quinn paced the locker rooms. The girls' Cheerios practice had just ended and they were changing into their warm-ups.

"Trust me, Q. The hobbit doesn't want to cause any problems. If she did she would have called her daddy the second we had her slushied. Berry would have shown up during lunch and complained to Figgins. We're in the clear, Q." Santana assured. She knew that dwarf was too afraid to cause problems at school. Nobody wanted to piss off Sue Sylvester.

"I don't know why you guys don't like Rachel. She's like super cool and hot. Her smile is like magic," Brittany said as she slipped on her tee. Both Quinn and Santana gaped at the blonde.

"What?" she shrugged. "It's true. And she gives awesome hugs even though she's tiny. I like her," the tall cheerleader said with a smile. Santana was raging internally. She didn't like that her girlfriend was getting attached to girl-Berry.

"Britt, Berry is not cool. You're not supposed to like her," the Latina growled at her girlfriend. Quinn nodded.

"But I don't get it, San," Brittany complained. "Rachel _is_ cool! She's like super nice and she's a unicorn. She dances and sings and gives magical hugs. And she can be cute but hot at the same time. Why do we have to not like her?"

It was the first time Brittany had ever raised her voice to any of them. Both Santana and Quinn were stunned. They didn't know what to say.

"I like Rachel. She's my friend. I asked her if she likes ducks and she said yes. I'm not going to be mean to her," Brittany told the other two Cheerios before stepping out of the locker room with her back pack in hand.

Santana sat there pondering what the hell had just happened. Her girlfriend had just defended the hobbit. It made her dislike Rachel even more.

"She is so getting it tomorrow," Santana growled before getting up and chasing after Brittany.

Quinn stayed in the locker room where it was quiet. She had a lot of thinking to do because everything seemed to be on her mind―no, not everything, just one specific person. Rachel. Since the minute Quinn woke up in the morning, the new girl had been on her mind. The moment she laid eyes on her, Rachel practically took up half of her thoughts. When the slushie incident happened, Rachel took up some more space. And then in glee club when she showed up to find Rachel looking better than ever, well that just did it. Rachel had consumed all of her thoughts. Every thought she had was about Rachel. It was scaring her. She was terrified that this girl was completely taking over her mind. Not to mention she made Quinn's stomach twist. It was such a strong feeling that it consumed her entire body.

It wasn't normal for her to be thinking about this girl so much. It was almost becoming inappropriate. She was becoming infatuated with Rachel and that thought alone made her cringe. She shook her head to get those thoughts out of her head because there was no way that she was obsessed with Rachel Berry. She was a girl. A freakin' girl!

XxX

"Tell me everything!" Blaine demanded.

Rachel had just gotten home from driving around in her mini-cooper and decided to call her best friend. She never text him back after what happened in first period so she felt really bad for ignoring him all day.

"Today was… interesting," Rachel spoke. She was in her dressing room changing out of her clothes and putting on something more comfortable to lounge in.

"Ok tell me! I'm dying here," he whined. Rachel laughed. She was afraid to tell Blaine about the slushie incident at school but he was her best friend and he deserved to know.

Rachel took the next thirty minutes to give Blaine a very detailed description of her first day of school. She talked about everything with him. She told him about her classes, about her teachers, about her new friends like Kurt and the glee club members. He really sounded excited when Rachel mentioned glee. Dalton didn't have a show choir so it seemed very interesting to him. He loved to sing and dance so it was an opportunity he wished he had.

When Rachel brought up the slushie incident, Blaine wasn't too thrilled. He didn't like that the girls at McKinley were treating Rachel as if she were some big loser. Rachel Berry was not a loser. She was a star and she was going to take the world by storm one day. She was probably the most talented person he'd ever met. Rachel had a heart of gold and Blaine thought it was sick that they were bullying her just because they were jealous.

"You should tell your dad, Rach. What they did to you is not right!" Blaine complained.

Rachel sighed. "I know, but I really don't want to cause any problems at school. If my dad found out what happened, he would go down to the school and demand they get expelled."

"And it serves them right!" Blaine exclaimed. He wasn't very happy at the moment. He was furious about the whole thing.

"I know, but McKinley is known for their cheerleading squad. They won't want to expel half of the team. They _will _fight back and it'll only bring me and my dad problems. I'm only going to be here for two months. How bad can it get?"

It got bad, really bad.

The next day Rachel not only got hit with two slushies, but three. And this time it wasn't the Cheerios who were dishing them out, it was the McKinley High football team.

"This is unacceptable! I thought for sure Quinn and Santana would have put a stop to this. Now they even have the football team throwing slushies at you," Kurt raged as he helped Rachel clean up. They were in the restroom again rinsing out her hair. This time it had been her Eva Franco dress that had gotten ruined. She had looked like such a doll in it. Now it was covered in multicolored stains.

"I can't believe those neanderthals had the decency to be physically abusive towards a female. It's absolutely barbaric! I don't deserve to be ostracized in this way," Rachel ranted, almost in tears. She didn't want to cry because it wasn't worth it, but it did hurt her feelings that she had been targeted again.

"Nobody deserves it. The faculty ignores it because the Cheerios and the football team put McKinley on the map," Kurt sighed.

Rachel nodded. She understood completely. Dalton was a lot like McKinley in that aspect. The more money they get, the more lenient they become. It was always about money.

"Well I'm not going to let them stop me from auditioning today. I don't care if I have to perform in my slushie stained dress. I will go up on that stage and sing my heart out," Rachel said with conviction. Kurt smiled. He loved how determined Rachel was even after she had been knocked down on her ass. She was a feisty little thing.

"The good thing is you won't have to perform in your dress because I have something for you," Kurt grinned and grabbed his messenger bag from the floor. He dug in and took out what looked to be a folded up dress.

"Oh my god Kurt, it's beautiful," Rachel said in awe when she saw the short lacy dress. It was light blue and flowing. It definitely fit Rachel's style.

"I've always wanted to be a designer so I made this dress. I used random measurements when I made it but yesterday when I helped you get dressed I kind of measured you and tailored it to fit. It's not a designer dress but I hope you'll accept it."

Rachel couldn't help but hug Kurt. "Thank you so much, Kurt. Of course I'll wear it! It even goes well with my wedges."

They both looked down at her feet and noticed that the dress did indeed go with her wedge sandals.

"Ok well slip on the dress and we'll fix your hair. You my friend are going to put on one kick ass performance today. Let them know they can't rain on your parade," Kurt encouraged.

Rachel smiled wide.

After getting cleaned up and dressed, the two friends exited the restroom and put their stuff in their lockers. There was still plenty of time left before they had to go to their fifth period so they decided to head to the lunch room where the rest of the glee members were.

When they walked into the cafeteria all eyes were on them. Rachel put on her signature smile and clung to Kurt as he led the way towards his usual table. Rachel was met with stares as they approached the table.

"Rachel, were you wearing that this morning?" Tina questioned. She had clearly remembered Rachel wearing a different dress. Also her hair had been in loose curls. Now it was in an updo like the day before.

Rachel's smile faltered but didn't disappear completely.

"Azimio and Karofsky gave her a slushie facial," Kurt said tersely. Everyone's eyes widened.

"What?" Artie exclaimed. It was her second day of school and already Rachel was a target? That just wasn't fair.

"Oh hell no," Puck stood from his seat. He liked Rachel. She was an awesome chick and it wasn't cool that Karofsky and Azimio were throwing slushies at her. He was furious.

"That's not cool," Finn spoke up.

The girls at the table just looked at Rachel with sympathy. They knew what it felt like to get hit with a slushie. It wasn't fun at all.

"I'm going to kick their asses," Puck growled before moving past Rachel and towards the football table. Rachel reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Noah, it's ok. Please don't be reckless. I don't want you to get in trouble," she said with kind eyes. Puck couldn't look away. Her eyes were so pretty. The tingling above his groin had returned.

"Look Rachel, you're a cool chick. Those fucking assholes have no right to do that to you. Believe me, I know. I used to do that shit to people all the time. It's not cool and I won't let them get away with it," he said before turning away. Rachel held on to him.

"Please, I promise you it'll be ok. Just let it go. I'm not the first and I definitely won't be the last."

Puck hated that Rachel had this power over him. He didn't know how she was able to do that. Maybe it was because she was pretty and he couldn't say no to a pretty face. Her pleading chocolate brown eyes made his resolve crumble into pieces.

"Kay," he said softly. "But if they do it again I'm going after them," he told her. Rachel smiled and nodded. She put her arm through his and led him back to the table. Rachel didn't notice the glee kids staring at them with bewilderment. Finn's eyes furrowed as he watched the two Jewish teenagers interact.

A few minutes passed and Puck decided to get something for Rachel to eat. He noticed she hadn't eaten anything all lunch period so he excused himself. Puck came back with a salad and water and put it in front of Rachel. "Here you go," he sat back down.

Rachel looked down at the clear plastic container and smiled. She put a hand to her chest when she felt it hiccup again. She turned to Noah and smiled, "Thank you, Noah. You're so sweet."

Puck smiled brightly which brought on another round of speculation from the glee club members. Artie was disappointed that he was behind on his game and Tina and Mercedes actually thought it was cute. Finn wasn't so happy. It was still very confusing to him. Puck never acted that way so he had no idea what it was that he was doing.

When the bell rang they all went their separate ways. Kurt accompanied Rachel to Ms. Pillsbury's office and promised to stop by to get her after class.

Fifth period turned out to be uneventful. Rachel continued to lick envelopes and print out addresses. She also helped Ms. Pillsbury with some of the freshman transcripts. She actually kind of enjoyed it.

When Kurt stopped by to get her after class, Rachel was already jumping with enthusiasm. It was finally time for her to perform. The last time she had performed was months prior when she performed with the Warblers back in New York. It had been a while since she sang a solo, but she was ready.

Surprisingly, she and Kurt weren't the first ones to arrive in the auditorium where her audition was going to take place. Quinn and Santana were already there with Sam and Brittany. Brittany ran up to Rachel and hugged her fiercely when she walked into the building. Rachel squealed when the blonde spun her around 360 degrees. It was hugs like these that allowed Rachel to believe that not all of the Cheerios were out to get her.

"Hi Rachel! Are you excited to sing?" Brittany asked as she put Rachel back down on the ground.

Rachel giggled. "Yes Brittany I'm excited. I hope you like what I have prepared."

"I bet it's going to be magical," Brittany beamed. Kurt couldn't help but laugh. Britt was definitely one of a kind.

Rachel ignored Santana's icy glare as she walked up on stage. The Jazz band was already there prepared with their instruments. She took out the sheet music to her song and handed it to them. They all seemed pretty impressed by her song selection. When she asked if they were capable of performing the song they nodded their heads and gave her a smile. She thanked them all by giving them a hug. Most of the band members were guys so they blushed almost instantly when they came in contact with the tiny brunette. Rachel thought it was adorable.

Kurt tried to sneak a peek at the sheet music but Rachel caught him before he could get a glimpse.

"No, no, you are going to wait until it's time for me to sing to find out what it is," Rachel playfully scolded him. Kurt pouted. Rachel couldn't help but giggle at the cute expression on his face. She put her fingers on the corners of his mouth and tried to make him smile. After a few attempts Kurt finally gave into Rachel's silliness and smiled.

While Rachel and Kurt lingered onstage, the rest of the glee club members started filing into the auditorium one by one. Puck made sure to get a seat up front. Usually he stayed in the back but he really didn't want to miss the magic that was about to happen.

Finn took notice of Puck's seat arrangement and sat next to him. If he was going to be upfront, then so was he. By the time everyone arrived, more than half of the glee club members were sitting upfront. That included Artie, Puck, Finn, Kurt, Brittany, Santana, Quinn, and Sam, not exactly in that order.

"Alright guys, it looks like everyone's here," Mr. Schue announced as he walked in. "Rachel are you ready? Or do you need a couple more minutes? I know it can be daunting to sing in front of an audience, but don't worry we won't be too hard on you," he smirked.

Rachel tried to hold in her laughter. Mr. Schue had no idea what he was talking about. She was not scared. This was the smallest audience she had ever sung to in a formal setting.

"No, Mr. Schue. I'm ready," she said with confidence. Before she could start she smoothed out her dress and tousled her bangs a bit.

"Ok then, why don't you tell us what you'll be singing," he told her.

Rachel nodded. "Hi, I'm Rachel Berry and I'm going to be singing-"

"Let me guess, the Barney song? We won't be impressed with that hobbit. No matter how much you love us and we _don't_ love you," Santana interrupted. Rachel took a deep breath. She wasn't going to get upset. Nothing could ruin this for her.

"No, I don't believe the Barney song is in my repertoire, Santana. But I'm sure you sing a lovely rendition of it," Rachel quipped. There were snickers all around. The Latina wasn't amused.

"The song I will be singing is Don't Rain on My Parade from my favorite musical, Funny Girl. I hope you all will enjoy it," Rachel said before giving the band the ok to start.

Will was a bit nervous. He knew Don't Rain on My Parade was a fairly difficult song to sing. None of his students had ever tried to tackle that song. He didn't even know if any of them even knew the song.

Once the music started, Rachel transformed. She was no longer in Lima or at McKinley. She was on Broadway, singing with the best of them.

_Don't tell me not to live,  
Just sit and putter,  
Life's candy and the sun's  
A ball of butter.  
Don't bring around a cloud  
To rain on my parade_

Kurt sat there with his mouth wide open. He couldn't believe the sound that was coming out of Rachel's mouth. It was simply sublime. And she looked so stunning on stage, like she belonged. Not only was her voice mesmerizing, but her presence as well.

_Don't tell me not to fly  
I've simply got to.  
If someone takes a spill,  
It's me and not you.  
Who told you you're allowed  
To rain on my parade_

From where Rachel was standing she could clearly see the shocked faces of her peers. It made her smile and sing with more passion. She removed the microphone from its stand and began to walk down off the stage. She loved interacting with her audience.

_I'll march my band out,  
I'll beat my drum,  
And if I'm fanned out,_

Rachel stood right in front of Kurt and smiled down at him as sang the lyrics. His jaw was still in his lap as he watched Rachel sing to him with such enthusiasm.

_Your turn at bat, sir.  
At least I didn't fake it.  
Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it_

Rachel then turned to those who were sitting next to Kurt. Brittany was bopping her head along to the song and smiling like she had just seen a unicorn poop cotton candy.

_But whether I'm the rose  
Of sheer perfection,  
Or freckle on the nose  
Of life's complexion,  
The cinder or the shiny apple of its eye,_

Santana sat next Brittany and Rachel animatedly sang to her as if she and the Latina were best friends. Santana wasn't too happy. _The dwarf is actually good. _

_I gotta fly once,  
I gotta try once,  
Only can die once, right, sir?  
Ooh, life is juicy,  
Juicy, and you see  
I gotta have my bite, sir_

Rachel then turned to the boys who were sitting down the row. They all felt something in their gut when she sang to them. Puck and Finn watched her with wide eyes while Artie bopped along. None of them imagined Rachel being this good.

_Get ready for me, love,  
cause I'm a commer,  
I simply gotta march,  
My heart's a drummer.  
Don't bring around a cloud  
To rain on my parade_

Mercedes didn't know what to think of Rachel's talent. She had to admit the girl was really good, but it scared her. Before Rachel showed up only Mercedes could belt out songs. She didn't have any competition. Now she had Rachel as a competitor.

_I'm gonna live and live now,  
Get what I want-I know how,  
One roll for the whole show bang,  
One throw, that bell will go clang,  
Eye on the target and wham  
One shot, one gun shot, and BAM_

It was Quinn's turn to catch Rachel's attention and boy did it stick. Rachel couldn't take her eyes off of Quinn and vice versa. The cheerleader never in a million years could have predicted Rachel to sing so beautifully. Her chest became tight as the singer sang to her with passion. She was becoming breathless. As soon as Rachel turned away Quinn took a long, deep breath.

_Hey, McKinley!  
Here I am_

Rachel ran back up on stage and skipped to the band. They were all smiles when Rachel went up to them and sang.

_I'll march my band out,  
I will beat my drum,  
And if I'm fanned out,  
Your turn at bat, sir,  
At least I didn't fake it.  
Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it._

The tiny diva turned swiftly to face her audience and looked in the distance, not really making eye contact with anybody. She was ready to belt out the final notes to one of her most favorite songs.

_Get ready for me, love,  
'cause I'm a commer,  
I simply gotta march,  
My heart's a drummer.  
Nobody, no, nobody  
Is gonna rain on my parade_

Her arms were stretched out and her eyes were shut when she finally ended the final note. But before she could even finish Kurt was already up on his feet clapping, giving his new friend the standing ovation she deserved. Brittany stood up not a second later and clapped with enthusiasm. She thought the song Rachel had sung _was_ magical.

The brunette stood on stage panting as the rest of the group stood up and clapped. They were all giving her a standing ovation, except for Quinn and Santana. Both girls sat in their seats with stunned expressions on their faces. Rachel let out a chuckle as she breathed.

_Take that!_

"Rachel that was amazing!" Mr. Schue praised. He was completely blown away. There was nobody in the world that could sing like Rachel. She was a true talent.

Rachel took a small bow and smiled. She was completely satisfied with her performance. She hadn't been sharp or pitchy. It was perfect.

"Does this mean I'm in the club?" Rachel asked a second later.

Mr. Schue laughed. "Of course! Welcome to the New Directions."

Rachel gave a small clap and giggled with giddiness. Kurt immediately joined Rachel on stage while the others talked about Rachel's amazing performance.

"Oh my god Rachel, that was incredible!" Kurt squealed as he tackle-hugged Rachel. She let out a loud squeak and hugged him back.

"Thanks Kurt, I'm glad you liked it. I've been working on that song since I was two. It's one of my all-time favorites."

Kurt shook his head. He was still a little stunned by the tiny brunette's performance. He actually felt a little jealous at how talented the girl really was. She had the most stunning voice and stage presence. She was lively and could work up an audience. This girl was going to do great things. She was a star.

* * *

**Next chapter will be up soon! ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Because you all make me so happy I decided on posting another chapter. I love hearing what you guys have to say about what's going on. It's what keeps me going, so I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

**disclaimer: I do not own glee. **

* * *

After the amazing performance Rachel put on she was sure that Santana and Quinn would stop harassing her with slushies and leave her at peace. She hadn't retaliated or told anybody about the incident so she was sure it was all going to be forgotten. Unfortunately for Rachel, her peace was still being disturbed.

It was finally Friday and Rachel was hiding out in the restroom getting cleaned up. This had been her fifth slushie facial this week. One for every day she had attended school, starting with her first day at McKinley. She was tired of it. She didn't want to have to rinse her hair out in the girl's restroom every day during lunch. She didn't want to have to change clothes and then answer to Ms. Pillsbury when she'd ask why she changed. Rachel was sure Ms. Pillsbury was starting to suspect something. She was always giving her these looks of sympathy, like if she knew what was going on. Still, Rachel continued to deny that such things as slushie facials were occurring to her.

On Wednesday Rachel had brought some extra clothes just in case. She thanked her gut because right after she split up with Kurt to go to their lockers, Rachel had been tossed a slushie. It had been a Cheerio that time. She had retrieved her "clean-up" kit from her locker and rushed to the restroom before Kurt had time to search for her. She was smart to put together a rather similar outfit to what she was wearing before she got slushied so nobody could tell she had gotten slushied, nobody but Kurt and Ms. Pillsbury. Kurt was a fashionista; he knew when Rachel had changed an article of clothing. But he never said anything because he knew she was trying to hide it. He was furious when he noticed Rachel had changed again on Thursday. Finally today, he had had the last straw.

Rachel didn't notice Kurt when she ran to the restroom to get cleaned up. No, she had completely missed his face of fury and agony. So while she was cleaning up her appearance, Kurt went in search of blood.

The boy stormed into the lunch room and headed straight towards the Cheerios table. There he spotted the Unholy Trinity—Quinn, Santana, and Brittany. He tried not to look furious but it was difficult when he knew his friend was by herself in the restroom cleaning up a mess that was not hers to clean up.

He walked up to the main bitch of the group and tapped her on the shoulder. The pretty blonde turned around and spotted him standing there with a blank expression.

"Yes, Kurt?" Quinn raised an eyebrow. She and Kurt had never been a close pair, but they were acquaintances and spoke on many occasions.

"Can I speak with you for a second, Quinn," he said politely. He didn't want to alarm her and then have her drag along her Rottweiler also known as Santana.

Quinn was bemused but agreed to speak with him. She gracefully stood from her seat and followed him out of the lunch room. He needed to speak to her somewhere privately so he led her to an empty classroom.

"Ok, what do want to talk about?" Quinn asked as soon as Kurt shut the door.

Kurt bit his tongue. He wanted to do this calmly without any yelling. So he took a deep breath and turned to the blonde cheerleader.

"You need to stop this, Quinn," Kurt said sharply. It was obvious he was upset.

The blonde was taken aback but remained indifferent. She'd never seen Kurt so mad.

"What are you talking about?" she asked nonchalantly, looking at her nails. It angered Kurt even more to see the Cheerio acting as if she was bored. It infuriated him.

"You know what I'm talking about, Quinn. You're the one behind all of those slushie facials Rachel has been subjected to. It needs to stop," he demanded.

Quinn would be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little nervous. She'd never seen Kurt act this way. Confrontation was not his thing. It was definitely a first with him. He was usually very civil with her.

"Why do you care? Berry is just like everybody else. She's not special. I'm pretty sure a little ice won't kill her," the blonde answered coolly.

"Oh cut the tough girl act, Quinn," Kurt scoffed. "I know that you act like a hard ass at school but beneath that Cheerios uniform and your tough girl façade you're just a scared little girl. You think I don't see how insecure and miserable you are?"

"You don't know anything," Quinn seethed. Her eyes were welling up with tears. She didn't know if it was out of anger or because he had hit the nail right on the head. It stung to hear him say those words. She was almost embarrassed by how accurate he was, but his attitude towards her was really pissing her off.

"I know that you're miserable and you have all this hate build up inside. Believe me, I've been there before. I know what it means to be broken, but I've never acted out like you. I've never tortured anyone for a chance to feel better about myself. My advice to you? Stop it before somebody ends up seriously hurt, and I'm not talking about Rachel," Kurt ranted.

All he could think of was of the time when he was still in the closet and he was teased endlessly by his peers for being so feminine and flamboyant. He remembered being scared of telling his dad and getting rejected. It was a dark time and he was never going to forget it. Fortunately, it passed and everything was much better now.

Kurt really felt bad for the Quinn. He knew she was going through a tough time with her father leaving her and her mother but it wasn't an excuse for her to start slushing people all of a sudden, especially Rachel. He really like the brunette and he didn't want the girl to leave because Quinn was so insecure about herself that she had to have Rachel tortured so she could feel better. There were other ways. He knew eventually that the bullying would catch up to the blonde and it was going to hurt her in the end.

He noticed Quinn had unshed tears in her eyes and she was giving him possibly the dirtiest look he'd ever received from her. It was a bit scary but he wasn't standing down.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Quinn whispered. She was still in denial about everything Kurt had said, even though it was true―all of it. She was insecure and miserable and jealous. And she hated that Rachel was so beautiful and kind and talented. She was everything Quinn wasn't.

"I can see the cracks, Quinn. There's no denying it. Accept it and deal with it, but leave Rachel alone."

And with that Kurt turned and left the room, leaving the blonde by herself to shed her tears of anger and guilt.

XxX

After storming out of the classroom, Kurt marched down the empty hallway towards the restroom he knew was currently occupied by a certain tiny brunette. When he made it to the restroom he was surprised to find the door unlocked. He walked in and found it empty. _Where is she?_

Kurt hurried back to the lunch room where he figured Rachel was and marched right up to the glee table. There sat Rachel with Puck sitting next to her. He was slightly relieved to see her smiling and laughing with the rest of the group. But a part of him wondered if she truly was happy or if she was just acting, because Kurt had learned pretty quickly that Rachel Berry was a superb actress.

"Hey guys," Kurt greeted as he walked up to the table. Rachel's head immediately snapped in his direction, a big smile overtaking her beautiful face.

"Kurt! Where have you been?" she smiled cheerfully. Almost instantly Rachel nudged Puck to move over a little so they could make room for Kurt. Rachel patted the seat next to her and called Kurt to sit. How could Kurt refuse?

When Kurt finally made himself comfortable at the table, Rachel leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Rachel Berry was one hell of a cuddler. Kurt in return wrapped his arm around the tiny girl and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

"Where'd you go?" Rachel whispered. The rest of the group was having their own conversation so they weren't paying attention to the two cuddle buddies.

"I went to go talk to Mr. Schue about something," he answered, successfully avoiding Rachel's innocent gaze.

"Oh, like what?" she asked happily.

"Song selections," he lied. "I was thinking maybe we could do something from Wicked now that we have you on our team," he smiled down at the brunette. Rachel squealed.

"Oh my god, that would be amazing. I know all of the songs from Wicked. I saw the show like a million times. I even know all of Elphaba's lines," she said proudly.

Kurt laughed. With Rachel going on about Wicked he almost missed a certain blonde cheerleader walk into the cafeteria with red-rimmed eyes. The two made eye contact but then Quinn's eyes were quickly averted to Rachel who was explaining the synopsis of Wicked to the rest of the group. Kurt saw guilt in her eyes. A small smile pulled at his lips.

XxX

Emma Pillsbury always thought herself to be a good educator. She helped her students do the best they could in school and would do as much as she could to help them graduate. She counseled them when they needed someone to talk to and would even give out personal advice. She loved helping out her kids. But sometimes it became difficult. Sometimes there were situations in which she didn't know how to help. Rachel Berry was one of those situations.

For the entire first week of school Rachel had shown up to school in the morning in a completely different outfit then what she would wear to fifth period. On Monday and Tuesday it had been obvious, but on the following days she had tried to hide the fact that she was wearing something different. Emma knew clothing. She wasn't a fashionista per say but she knew the difference between different colors and fabrics. She didn't fool her.

So when Rachel walked into Emma's office to fulfill her duties as teacher's aide, Emma wasn't surprised to find her wearing a very similar outfit to the one she had been wearing in the morning. The black of her shirt was just a bit darker than the one she wore in the morning and her skirt had a different texture. There was something definitely going on.

"Rachel, is there a reason why you've been wearing two different outfits each day for the past week?" Emma blurted out. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to ask.

Rachel froze. Ms. Pillsbury had only questioned her one time and that had been on her very first day of school. She was completely stunned by Ms. Pillsbury's question.

"Oh… that… um… well," Rachel fumbled. What was she supposed to say? She had been caught. Rachel had been positive that nobody had noticed her outfit changes the past three days.

"You see Ms. Pillsbury, I'm a bit of a clutz and so I've always been accustomed to changing clothes several times of day because I'm always spilling something on myself and I like to stay clean," Rachel answered pathetically.

Emma tried not to laugh. She knew Rachel Berry was a good actress but even actresses had off days because Rachel's reasoning was completely ridiculous.

"Oh, ok," Emma let it go. She knew she wasn't going to get anything from Rachel. She didn't want to harass her and then make things awkward for them so she was just going to have to make some phone calls.

XxX

Glee club was the best part of Rachel's day. She got to sing and dance and have lots of fun with her fellow glee club members. She never had to worry about being slushied in there even though her two biggest tormenters were in the same room as her. Usually the two cheerleaders would ignore her, but for some reason, Santana was being a bit mouthy today.

"God, just stop it manhands. Your screeching is hurting my ears," Santana complained. Rachel had been singing "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music and everyone in the glee club was enjoying it so far until Santana interrupted. It made Rachel angry. She didn't like it when people interrupted her during a performance. It might not have been a formal one but it was a performance none-the-less.

"That's incredibly rude, Santana," Rachel retorted. She was trying not to lose her temper but she just couldn't take it anymore. There was only so much bullying she could take.

Quinn noticed how irritated Rachel was. She was practically fuming. She could tell the girl was trying her hardest not to burst. It wasn't like her. She had only known the tiny brunette for five days but from what she gathered, she wasn't one to get upset, even when she's constantly getting a slushie thrown in her face.

"Stop it, San," Quinn whispered to Santana. The Latina raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?" she asked loudly. Everyone turned to look at them, including Rachel.

"I said stop it," Quinn said sternly. "Just leave her alone."

Santana narrowed her eyes at her while everyone else's widened in shock.

Quinn had kept to herself since Kurt confronted her during lunch. She hardly spoke to any of the other girls for the rest of the lunch period and was completely silent during fifth. She had been really affected by the things Kurt had said. It made her think that maybe it was a good idea to stop torturing Rachel. All she was doing was pushing her insecurities aside. What she really needed to do was confront them and the only way she was going to be able to do that was if she wasn't sabotaging Rachel. She didn't need to be friends with the girl if she didn't want to; she just had to leave her alone.

"Oh, so you're defending her now?" the Latina scoffed. Quinn glared at her. She was really getting tired of this.

"No, I'm just tired of hearing you bitch all the time," Quinn retorted.

"Girls!" Mr. Schue warned. He was trying to get their attention but they were treating him as if he was invisible.

There were whispers all around the room. They had seen the two cheerleaders argue before but not like this. Both girls looked extremely pissed off. The glee club members wondered why they were so angry, especially Rachel. She never expected the pretty blonde to defend her, although Quinn didn't really own up to it, she could tell the cheerleader really did mean to come to Rachel's defense. It made the tiny brunette's heart swell. A small smile tugged on her lips.

"Listen _blondie_, I don't know what the hell is up with you but you totes don't talk to me that way," Santana growled.

Quinn huffed. "I can talk to you however I want. Now shut up and let the midget continue before I make you run extra suicides on Monday."

Santana glared at the head captain before backing away slowly and standing up from her seat. "Fuck you, Fabray. I'm out," she scoffed before walking out of the room. Brittany felt bad for her girlfriend and gave Quinn a frown before running after the Latina.

"Santana, Brittany!" Mr. Schue called. School wasn't over yet, he couldn't just let his students walk out of class.

"Let them go Mr. Schue. Santana was being a total bitch to Rachel," Puck insisted. He was glad Quinn had said something because Santana was really starting to piss him off with the 'dwarf' and 'hobbit' comments. He knew Quinn didn't like Rachel but at least she never called her out like Santana did.

Will sighed. "Ok, we only have ten minutes left of class anyway. Rachel you may continue."

Rachel nodded but couldn't keep her eyes off Quinn as she continued to sing. Quinn's eyes were shining with tears. There was something definitely wrong. The blonde looked so sad. It really bothered Rachel to see the girl like that. It actually made her chest ache. She was so distracted watching Quinn that she messed up the end of the song. She _never_ messed up; but the New Directions didn't know that.

When the bell rang Quinn hopped out of her chair and stormed out of the room with a very worried Sam chasing after her. Rachel felt like following them but she knew it was best if she didn't. It wasn't like Quinn would talk to her anyway. They weren't friends.

XxX

"Quinn!" Sam yelled out. He was running after his girlfriend who had fled glee club as soon as the bell rang. He didn't know where she was headed but the Cheerios didn't have practice on Fridays and Santana had been her ride to school. It worried Sam how distant Quinn had become. Who knew a relationship could go to hell in four days? There was something going on in Quinn's life that she wasn't telling him about. Sam was completely clueless as to what was happening to Quinn. He just hoped Quinn wouldn't let it ruin their relationship.

He ran and ran until he finally lost sight of her. She was really fast. He was actually quite disappointed with himself. He was the star quarterback―he was supposed to be in great shape. How could he let his girlfriend outrun him? _Damn those Cool Ranch Doritos._

He didn't want to give up searching for Quinn but he had football practice and if he didn't show up on time Coach Beiste was going to make him do a hundred sit ups for each minute that he's late. He let out a sigh and turned around to run towards the boy's locker room. He was going to have to call her up tonight and find out what the hell was going on.

XxX

Rachel was really concerned about Quinn. In the back of her mind she knew she shouldn't have been so worried, but she couldn't help it. The girl looked so distraught when she ran out of the room crying. As horrible as Quinn had acted towards her in the past five days, she couldn't let resentment get in the way of helping someone out—especially a fellow glee club member.

The tiny brunette was completely zoned out thinking of the blonde cheerleader as Kurt escorted her to her car. They had stayed back in the choir room for a couple of minutes talking to Mr. Schue about upcoming glee club assignments so there weren't many students lingering in the parking lot as usual. It was Friday after all and everybody was rushing to get home.

"Kurt, do you think Quinn's going to be ok? I find myself worrying about her. She seemed so upset in glee club, not to mention she actually came to my defense when Santana rudely interrupted me," Rachel looked at her dear friend.

Kurt looked indifferent. "I don't know. Her and Santana fight all the time," he told her. But he knew why Quinn was so upset. It seemed his confrontation with her had actually affected her somehow. He didn't regret it, but he did wish Rachel would forget about it. He didn't want her to find out he had confronted the blonde during lunch. It might have been for Rachel's benefit, but knowing Rachel, she would be upset with him for doing such a thing. Rachel was a very smart girl, but sometimes she could be really stupid.

"Yes, I am aware of that. Noah mentioned to me that they have fought before in the past, but this time Quinn genuinely looked hurt. She's hurting, Kurt. I know you're going to kill me for even thinking this, but I think we should reach out to her," Rachel said with the saddest brown eyes Kurt had ever seen.

"Are you serious, Rachel? The girl had you slushied more than once and you want to help her? No, I'm not going to let you make a fool out of yourself. Quinn has Sam. If she needs a shoulder to cry on then she can go to him."

Rachel let out a frustrated sigh. She was a little annoyed with Kurt. The way he had spoken to her was out of line. As much as she loved having him around and talking to him, she didn't answer to nobody but herself. If she wanted to reach out to Quinn, then she was going to do so.

Once Rachel was safely inside her car Kurt headed back towards the school. Football practice was going to be short so he was mildy excited for it to end.

As soon as Rachel was out of the parking lot she grabbed her phone and dialed Blaine. She hoped he wasn't busy.

"Hey you! How was school?" Blaine answered. His enthusiasm had Rachel smiling. It was so nice to hear her best friend's voice.

"It wasn't so great. I need your help with something," she told him.

"What's wrong, Rach?" Blaine asked worriedly. The entire week she had spoken so enthusiastically about school, this was the first time she sounded dull.

"Remember the girl I told you about, the one who ordered the cheerleaders to slushie me?" she inquired.

"You mean the pretty blonde?" Blaine recalled. "Yes," Rachel answered immediately.

"Yeah, what about her? Did she do something to you again? If she did, you have to say something to your dad, Rach."

"No she didn't," the brunette lied. She hadn't told Blaine about the rest of the slushies. She thought it was better if she didn't mention it. "She was crying today in glee and I'm really worried. Is it wrong for me to feel that way?" Rachel asked hesitantly. She knew how Kurt felt about it, but Blaine was her best friend and knew her better.

Blaine sighed. "Rach, you are the most compassionate person I know, you worry about everyone. But sometimes you should just let people handle their own problems. I'm sure she has friends she can talk to about whatever is bothering her."

Rachel shook her head as if he could see her. "But you didn't see her, B. She has these beautiful, intense hazel eyes, but today they were so dull. It made my heart hurt seeing her like that."

Blaine let out a dry laugh. "Of course you would feel heartbroken over seeing one of your tormentors hurt."

"I'm sorry! It's just this girl… there's something about her that makes me care. Maybe it's because deep down inside, I know she doesn't really bully me to be mean, but because she's hurting. I got a glimpse of that today. She actually defended me when her crass friend rudely interrupted my singing. She defended me, Blaine! Somebody who despises you doesn't defend you, especially not to the point where they get into a fight with their best friend." Rachel rambled.

Blaine rubbed the back of his neck. "You have no idea how badly I want to be there with you so I can smack some sense into that big thick skull of yours."

A small smile tugged on Rachel's lips. "I know this sounds stupid," she said softly. "But something's telling me that I need to reach out to her. If she rejects my help, then I won't insist. But I just _have _totalk to her."

"What exactly is telling you to reach out to her? Your gut? Because if that's the case then maybe you're just hungry," Blaine replied.

"No, it's not my stomach," Rachel argued.

"Then what is it? What's telling you to reach out to her?" he demanded.

"My heart," she whispered. Rachel felt something in her chest every time she thought of Quinn. It wasn't a coincidence.

Blaine's resolve completely crumbled. "Fine, but promise me you'll tell me if this girl does something to hurt you."

"I promise," Rachel agreed.

"Good, cause if she does something to you I'll go down there and kick some ass," Blaine announced proudly.

Rachel giggled. "Quinn's a girl. You can't hit girls, Blaine."

"I was metaphorically speaking, of course―but I _will_ give her a stern talking to. Nobody messes with Rachel Barbra Berry."

Rachel laughed. It was so nice to have the support of her best friend even though he was miles away.

"Ok, well I'll call you when I get home because I'm driving and if I get a ticket for talking on the phone then daddy will take away my cars," Rachel told Blaine.

"No problem, Rach. Talk to you soon, miss you," Blaine responded before ending the conversation. Rachel put her phone down and concentrated on the drive. She had only a couple of more blocks to go before getting home.

When she approached a red light, she spotted someone walking on the sidewalk. It was the person who just couldn't get off her mind. Quinn Fabray. _What is she doing walking home? Doesn't she have a car?_ Rachel asked herself. She heard a car honk behind her and noticed the light had turned green. Almost immediately she turned on her emergency lights and merged to the right side of the street. She pulled her windows down and drove up slowly next to the sidewalk where Quinn was walking.

"Quinn?" Rachel called out.

The blonde was suddenly aware that there was a car driving slowly next to her. When she heard her name being called out, her heart started racing.

"Quinn it's me, Rachel," the voice called out again. Her heart was now hammering in her chest.

Quinn turned slightly and spotted a tiny black mini cooper moving slowly beside her. She glanced inside and found Rachel looking at her from the inside. Quinn took a deep breath.

"What do you want, Berry," she grumbled. She kept her eyes up front, making sure she didn't trip or anything because that would be incredibly embarrassing—especially with Rachel there.

"I was wondering if you wanted a ride. I'm assuming Santana was your ride home and she left without you. It's kind of my fault you two fought," Rachel offered.

"It's not your fault, and no, I don't want a ride," Quinn huffed.

Rachel couldn't leave without her. She didn't feel right going home and leaving Quinn on her own.

"I can't let you walk home alone, Quinn. It's not safe," Rachel told her.

Rachel's thoughtfulness made Quinn's stomach tingle, but it didn't imply she was going to accept the girl's offer. She already felt so many emotions towards her; she didn't need to add grateful to that list.

"It's Lima, Berry. This isn't exactly New York City. I won't get mugged," Quinn turned to glare. When she saw Rachel's big brown eyes, she stumbled. Her face flushed red. _Oh my god, how embarrassing._

"I know it's unlikely you'll get mugged but I'd still feel more comfortable if I gave you a lift home," Rachel insisted. She really wanted to get the girl in her car, maybe then she could talk to her about what happened today in glee.

"Berry, I said no," Quinn growled. Couldn't she see that she didn't want a ride? Quinn didn't want to be near the tiny brunette, not right now. She still had a lot of things to think about. Rachel was just making it harder for Quinn to think. She was so distracting.

Rachel's jaw clenched. _This girl is so stubborn!_ She thought. "Fine, but I'm going to follow you to insure you make it home safe."

Quinn wanted to scream. _Why does she have to be so damn nice!_ It was confusing to Quinn. How could a girl who she tormented be so nice towards her? Didn't she have any sense of self-preservation? It almost upset her how vulnerable Rachel was. She was so conflicting; she was stubborn yet vulnerable at the same time. She was insisting on Quinn getting in her car when she very well knew Quinn could hurt her, maybe not physically because she could never hit her, but emotionally. Rachel Berry was such an enigma.

"Fine!" Quinn exclaimed, "I'll get in the damn car." Rachel was a bit surprised by the small fit Quinn had thrown but she was happy she had decided to let her take her home.

The brunette stopped the car and allowed Quinn to get in. She threw her back pack into the back seat and strapped herself in.

When Quinn turned to Rachel, the girl had a big smile on her face. It was the exact same smile she had given her on the first day of school―the exact same one. A small smile tugged on Quinn's lips but she had to force herself not to smile. She was not going to give in so easily. She couldn't.

The car ride was pretty quiet until they reached an intersection and Quinn ordered Rachel to turn left. Rachel's house was in the opposite direction. Quinn pointed out in the distance the gated entrance to the small block of houses where she lived.

"Oh you live in Lima Heights? Your home must be amazing," Rachel smiled. Quinn just looked at the girl with bemusement. _How in the hell can she be so nonchalant?_

When they arrived at the gate, Quinn grabbed the door handle. "Alright, I'll get out here," she mumbled.

"No!" Rachel called out, reaching out to touch her arm. The brunette's light touch made Quinn's body quiver. "I'd very much like to drop you off in front of your house."

Quinn's heart started racing again. "Why?" she retorted. Rachel hesitantly removed her hand from the blonde's arm. She had felt something very strange.

"You can seriously fall and injure yourself on the way there. If I dropped you off in the front, I can make sure you make it inside unscathed." It was probably the dumbest excuse but it was an excuse none-the-less. She just wanted more time with her.

Quinn looked into Rachel's chocolate brown eyes and saw the sincerity in them. She unconsciously bit her lip and nodded. "Ok."

Rachel's smile grew and she asked for the security code to the gate. Once she entered it the big black gates opened and Rachel drove inside.

"Wow, these houses are beautiful," Rachel stated. They didn't compare to her father's house but they were still gorgeous. Anybody would be lucky to live in those homes.

"Thanks," Quinn mumbled, "my house is at the end of the cul-de-sac." Rachel nodded.

As they drove down the street, Quinn looked to see if Santana or Brittany were outside. She didn't see any sign of them and was relieved. She didn't know how she could explain this to them.

"Is that it?" Rachel pointed to the last house on the street. It was also the biggest.

"Yeah," Quinn answered.

As soon as Rachel pulled up to the giant home, Quinn opened the door and stepped out. She just couldn't be in the car with Rachel anymore.

"Wait, Quinn!" Rachel called out before Quinn was out of hearing distance. The blonde wanted to ignore her, but something was telling her to go back. With a sigh, she turned around and walked back to the car.

"Yeah?" Quinn leaned into the car, her eyes instantly meeting Rachel's. Her stare was intense.

"I know we're not friends, and I know you don't like me very much, but if you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me. I may not know a lot about your life, but I'm a really good listener."

Quinn had no idea how to respond. She could have easily scoffed and told her she would never go to her in a million years, but she didn't. She couldn't say that to her. So she gave her the tiniest nod.

"And also, I want to apologize for causing you and Santana to fight," Rachel apologized. This time Quinn scoffed. "I already told you it wasn't your fault, Berry. I was just annoyed that she couldn't go five minutes without insulting somebody."

Rachel grinned. "Still, I'm sorry you got into an argument."

Quinn shrugged. "She'll get over it."

The brunette gave her a small smile. "So I guess I'll see you Monday?"

She nodded.

"Ok," Rachel spoke softly, gazing into Quinn's eyes.

"Ok," Quinn breathed, looking just as intently into Rachel's eyes as she was.

After a couple of seconds Quinn finally broke eye contact and stepped away from the car. Rachel gave her a small wave and drove away. Quinn took a deep breath, hoping to calm down her erratic heartbeat. _What the hell am I going to do now?_

The blonde shook her head and pushed all thoughts of Rachel to the back of her mind. She turned towards her house and made her way up the driveway. She opened the door and walked into the quiet, lonely house. She immediately went upstairs and changed out of her Cheerios uniform. She felt like taking a nice bath to relax so she slipped into her ensuite bathroom and drew herself a nice warm bath.

She pondered the day's events as she lounged in the tub. Her confrontation with Kurt had replayed itself in her mind over and over again. It terrified her to know that someone else knew exactly how she was feeling. How he knew that inside she was torturing herself over something that wasn't in her control. She hated it. She hated not having control. She hated that she felt these things and she couldn't push it away. She felt resentment and hate towards her father for leaving her with her alcoholic mother, she felt anger towards her mother for being so selfish, and she felt something really strong for Rachel. Something so strong that she couldn't control it and that's what scared her the most. That she couldn't control this feeling for the Rachel.

Once the water in the tub became lukewarm Quinn decided to step out. She made her way out to her bedroom and grabbed clothes to change into. It was a bit odd she hadn't received a text or call from Sam. She was sure football practice was already out. _Maybe my phone's dead._

As soon as the blonde got dressed she searched for her cell phone. It was nowhere to be found.

"Where the hell is it?" she said aloud. She scanned her bedroom to see if anything was missing. Then it hit her.

"My backpack"

She had left her backpack in the back seat of Rachel's car. She had everything in there, her homework for the weekend and her cell phone. She had to get it back.

"Shit, shit, shit," she chanted. There was only one way she could get her stuff back. She had to make the trip down to the Berry Mansion and get her stuff back.

Quinn's face paled. She was going to have to see Rachel again. How was she going to approach her? She had hoped she didn't have to see her until Monday and now she was going to have to go over to her house.

_You can do it, Fabray. All you have to do is ask for your back pack and that's it._

Quinn took a deep breath and grabbed her keys. She was going to Rachel Berry's house.

* * *

**I might just post up another chapter before the end of the day, we'll have to see. It all depends on you! Thanks again! You all are awesome :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's the next chapter as promised! And to the guest who told me I should capitalize my I's and avoid text speak, thanks bro! ;) I will be capitalizing my I's from now on and I won't use "pls" anymore. Honestly, thanks for bringing it to my attention. **

**You guys might or might not know this but I don't have a beta so all the grammar and spelling mistakes are mine. **

**disclaimer: I do not own Glee. **

* * *

"Hello Ms. Pillsbury, what can I do for you?" Hiram answered. Only a week of school and already he was getting phone calls from Rachel's guidance counselor. He didn't know what the call was regarding but he was hoping it wasn't because Rachel was in trouble.

"Hello Mr. Berry, how are you doing today?" the counselor started off lightly. She didn't sound upset or dull so he doubted something bad had happened. Still, he was concerned.

"I am doing very well actually, and yourself?" Hiram replied politely. He really just wanted to cut to the chase but he didn't want to be rude.

"I'm doing well, thanks for asking. I was actually calling because I have some concerns regarding Rachel," she told him.

"May I ask what these concerns are about? Is Rachel ok?" Hiram asked.

"Oh she's perfectly fine Mr. Berry. She's just been acting a little odd. I've noticed this past week that Rachel seems to be changing a lot during school hours and by changing I mean changing clothes. I just wanted to know if that a was normal occurance," she told him.

Hiram's brows furrowed. "What do you mean she's changing clothes?" The counselor had him quite confused.

"Rachel has been changing into different clothes during school. In the morning she walks in with one outfit and when I see her during fifth period she's wearing a different one. I asked her about it today and she seemed pretty nervous when we spoke about it. She told me it was because she was clumsy and was always spilling stuff on herself."

Hiram's eyes widened. Rachel was far from clumsy. She had been in dance since she could walk and had perfect balance. This was definitely not his Rachel she was talking about. Everything had been normal at home. A routine had been established as if it had been going

"Well that doesn't sound like Rachel. I will definitely look into it, Ms. Pillsbury. Thank you so much for the call," Hiram responded.

"Oh it's no problem. I just wanted to let you know what was going on. I hope you find out what the problem behind it is. I like Rachel very much. She's a wonderful student and helper. You are a very lucky man Mr. Berry."

Hiram couldn't help but flash a goofy grin. He _was_ lucky.

"I am," he told her. "Thank you again. And please don't hesitate to call me with other concerns. I like to be very involved in my daughter's life."

"That's no problem. If I ever have any more concerns I'll be sure to contact you, Mr. Berry. Have a wonderful day," the counselor said before ending the phone call.

As soon as Hiram was off the line with Ms. Pillsbury, he dialed the one person who knew Rachel more than he did.

"You better make this quick, I'm needed on set in ten," Shelby answered.

Hiram let out a chuckle. "Don't I even get a Hello?"

Shelby rolled her eyes. "Hello my darling, how are you?" she giggled in an English accent.

"Not well," he replied with the same accent. "It's our daughter. She's acting weird," he added, in his normal voice.

"What? What's wrong? Is she ok?" Shelby sounded concerned.

"No, she's fine. But I just got a call from her high school counselor telling me she's been changing clothes during school. Is that normal?"

"Changing clothes? You mean like wardrobe changes?" Shelby asked, baffled.

"Yeah, she wears one outfit in the morning and then by her fifth period she's in another. When her counselor asked her why she changed so much our daughter told her it was because she was clumsy and always spilled things on herself."

Shelby snorted. "That does not sound like Rachel at all. Something is definitely up. You want me to talk to her?"

Hiram didn't want Shelby to have to interfere. He was sure he could handle it on his own. He just needed her to confirm it.

"No it's okay, I can handle it. Isn't it late over there?" Hiram inquired as he looked down at his watch. It was four o'clock in Ohio which meant it had to be around nine o'clock at night in London.

"Yeah, but we're shooting late today. I'm still on New York time so I'm not very sleepy. Are you sure you don't want me to talk to Rachel?" she asked again.

"No, Bee. I'll take care of it," he told her.

"Ok, Hirm. I'll call you tomorrow for an update. Bye, I love you."

"Love you too, Bee," Hiram smiled before hanging up. He looked up at the clock in his office and stared at it anxiously. He wanted to go home already so he could talk to Rachel.

_Just a half an hour more_, he told himself.

He sat in his big, comfy leather chair and stared at the clock. It was seriously getting to him. He looked at his cell phone and decided to make a call. Talking on the phone would make the minutes go by a lot faster.

"Hello, my life sucks," a voice crooned. Hiram rolled his eyes.

"Where are you?" he asked abruptly.

"Whoa, if I didn't know you were a hundred percent gay I would have thought this was a booty call," the woman on the line quipped.

"Ha. Ha. Why did I hire you again?" Hiram scoffed.

"Because I have an awesome gaydar and you thought I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut if you didn't hire me," she snorted.

Hiram deadpanned. "Oh yeah, now I remember. You were charming and sweet." He said sarcastically.

"I still won't tell anybody you're gay, you know. You can fire me whenever you want. But I you won't because you secretly love me and think I'm an amazing assistant."

Hiram chuckled. "You're modest."

"I try," his assistant laughed.

"Seriously though, where are you?" Hiram asked again. He was hoping she was near. Maybe they could have a chat.

"I'm right outside your building. I have some contracts in hand that you need to sign and a love letter from your fine chocolate man," she replied. Hiram blushed. She always referred to LeRoy as his 'chocolate man'. He couldn't say it didn't flatter him, but it made him blush every time.

"Ok, hurry then," he urged. His entire face was flushed. _Damn her._

Ten minutes later his assistant Cassandra walked into his office with a couple of manila envelopes. The one that had been from his 'fine chocolate man' wasn't a love letter but some boring documents. Cassandra really liked to mess with him.

"Why are you all twitchy?" the assistant asked as she sat on his desk. He was looking over some documents but she could sense something was off by his body language.

Hiram sighed and put down the papers. "Rachel's counselor called me today," he told her.

"Oh, how's Barbra Streisand doing?" Cassandra replied with chuckle.

"I don't know if that's supposed to be a compliment or an insult, but coming from you it's probably the latter. Leave my daughter alone," Hiram warned.

"It was a compliment!" she exclaimed, amused.

Hiram raised a brow. "Yeah… sure"

"What?" she said shrugging her shoulders, "It's true! I call her Barbra Streisand because, a: I've seen a YouTube video of her singing and she is beyond amazing, and b: she got your Jewish nose. But it doesn't look bad. It actually adds character," she defended.

"You make it seem like she's an object by saying it adds character. My daughter is not a car that has a dent on its hood," he deadpanned.

Cassandra tried really hard to reign in her laughter but she ended up laughing anyway. "Hirm, you have to relax. I'm not making fun of your daughter. If you'd like, I won't call her that anymore."

"Please," he told her. She nodded. "Done. No more Barbra Streisand."

"Good, now if I may continue, I was going to tell you that her counselor called to tell me that Rachel has been acting strange all week. Apparently my daughter likes to make several wardrobe changes throughout the school day. I asked Shelby if that was normal and she said no, so I'm going to talk to her when I get home," he told her.

Cassandra's brows furrowed. "Wait, you're saying your daughter has been changing her clothes?" What she was hearing sounded very familiar.

Hiram nodded. "Yeah, she shows up to fifth period in a different outfit then the one she wears when she arrives to school. I have no idea what's going on but it sounds like something odd is going on."

Cassandra knew exactly what was going on. There was only one reason why somebody at McKinley would be changing clothes so much.

"Rachel's been getting slushie facials. That's what's going on," she told him without hesitance.

Hiram narrowed his eyes at his assistant. "What the hell is a slushie facial?" he asked.

"A slushie facial is when somebody throws an ice cold slushie at your face. It's a form of bullying at McKinley. It happened all the time when I went there," Cassandra answered.

"Wait, so you're saying my daughter is being hit with slushies?" he raged.

Cassandra nodded. "Yeah, that would explain why she's been changing her clothes. I mean, who would want to walk around school all day feeling sticky?" she grimaced.

Hiram's eyes widened. It made complete sense. "That barbaric!" he shouted.

Hiram stood from his chair and paced his office. He was furious. How could his daughter be getting bullied? She was smart, pretty, and rich. Wasn't she supposed to be popular? In high school all of the pretty and smart girls were popular, especially if they came from money.

When he was in high school he knew what it was like to be bullied. But he never imagined his daughter getting bullied. She was too good for that. And slushies were never a form of bullying before. He had gotten wedgies and swirlies but that was about it.

He continued pacing his office while attempting to calm down. He wanted to hit something, hard. He felt like marching down to the school and talking to the principal. What they were doing to Rachel was not acceptable.

"Hirm, calm the fuck down," Cassandra ordered. She knew he'd be pissed but she needed him to calm down before he broke something.

"I'm sorry, but I just found out my daughter is being bullied and it's my fault!" he retorted.

"It's not your fault," she told him.

He kept pacing the floor with his hand rubbing the back of his neck. He needed a valium.

"Yes it is, Cass. I was the one who brought her to this place," he said guiltily.

Cassandra shook her head. "It's not your fault. Now please sit down so I can give you an explanation."

Hiram raised a brow. "An explanation?"

"Sit," she ordered. Hiram rolled his eyes and sat down in his chair.

"Ok, I'm sitting. Now tell me."

Cassandra took a deep breath. She hated talking about this but if she didn't say anything then things could really get ugly. She was just hoping that whoever it was was doing it for the same reason she did it back in the day.

"When I was at McKinley, it was a tradition to throw slushies at the losers. If you thought someone was below you, then you tossed one in their face and called it a day. It was wrong and so messed up but people did it anyway. I was one of those people," she confessed.

Hiram's eyes widened. He was about to speak but Cassandra raised her hand to stop him. "Let me just get this out." Hiram nodded.

"I was the head captain of the Cheerios my senior year. The slushie facials were usually done by Cheerios or jocks, so I guess you can say I was a big part of that. I never personally slushied students, but I ordered them. I didn't want to get my hands dirty, if you know what I mean," she chuckled nervously. Hiram didn't laugh.

"Anyway…," she frowned, "I used to think I did it because I was better than everyone else, when in reality, the only reason why I ordered slushies was because I was jealous and intimidated. There was this one girl, her name was Holly Holiday."

Hiram raised a brow. Cassandra laughed. "Yeah, I know, weird name."

Hiram nodded with a small smile. Cassandra rolled her eyes.

"As I was saying," she continued. "Holly was this bright, spunky, pretty girl. She was kind of annoying, but she really wasn't that bad. I had her slushied every day for most of our senior year. And the only reason why I did it was because I was jealous of her. She was nice and likable and I was jealous because she wasn't even popular and still people liked her. People only liked me because I was pretty and a cheerleader, but really, nobody liked me. I was a hardcore bitch."

"You still are," Hiram said under his breath. Cassandra glared at him. "Only sometimes," he added.

"Yes, but back then I was a bitch all the time. I realized towards the end of my senior year that I was probably the shittiest person on the planet and finally apologized to Holly. You know what she did?"

"What?" Hiram raised a brow, "Punched you in the face?"

Cassandra let out a small chuckle. "No, she forgave me. We spent the last month of school hanging out together. We became really close and now we're best friends. She's actually a substitute for the Lima school district."

"So what you're trying to say is… what, exactly?" Hiram asked. He kind of understood what Cassandra was telling him, but he needed her to make it clear.

"What I'm trying to say is that if I was back in high school and I was my old Cheerio self, I would have your daughter slushied more than once, daily. I would be so damn jealous of her I would have her showered in that gunk. Whoever is behind this is probably feeling the same way. If it's a girl—which it probably is―and she's a Cheerio—which, again, she probably is―then she's just envious of Rachel. I wasn't lying when I said she was stunning. If you ever find out who's behind it, talk to them first and feel them out. You might be surprised by what you discover," Cassandra told him.

Hiram nodded, completely understanding what Cassandra was trying to tell him. He wanted to know who it was behind it, but he didn't know if he could be so nice as to talk to them calmly and _feel_ them out. He'd probably have them expelled right away.

"You mentioned it was probably a Cheerio, correct?" Hiram asked. He was going to start investigating which students at McKinley were Cheerios.

Cassandra nodded. "Yup, but more likely it's going to be the head Cheerio. The head Cheerio is always the queen bee. Whatever she says goes. You want me to find out who it is?" Cassandra asked. She had some connections at the high school and could find out in a second who the head Cheerio was.

Hiram smirked. "No, that's not necessary. I know who the head Cheerio is. She's been the head Cheerio for three years now."

Since Hiram was a big supporter of the football program at McKinley he made sure to attend a couple of games each year. With football, came cheerleading. He had met the cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester several times, and with her she always had her top three Cheerios, _Quinn Fabray, Santana Lopez, and Brittany Pierce._

"Who is it?" Cassandra asked.

"Quinn Fabray," he told her. He wasn't happy about it being her. He never imagined a nice girl like her torturing his daughter.

Cassandra nodded. She knew exactly who Quinn Fabray was. The girl was definitely head bitch material. She had never met the blonde but she knew of her and her mother. They were going through a rough time.

"I bet I know why she's doing it," Cassandra told him.

"Why?" Hiram asked, intrigued to hear Cassandra's theory.

"Because her father just left her and her mother a couple of months ago. It's just them two now. And word has it that Judy Fabray is now a drunk who only hangs around with friends named Jose, Jack, and Johnnie. It's no wonder why her daughter is being a bitch."

Hiram frowned. It was sad to find out that the real reason why Russell Fabray had quit the company was because he left his family. No honorable man leaves his family. He was the breadwinner of the family. Judy was just a real estate agent. How were they getting by? He knew the Fabray's lived in Lima Heights. It was a big house to keep up with.

Hiram let out a sigh. Now he was feeling bad for the girl.

"Great, now I feel sympathy for the girl who's torturing my daughter," he grumbled.

Cassandra chuckled. "It sucks, doesn't it? But people are human. None of us are perfect, Hirm. I can assure you that this Quinn girl is going through a really tough time right now. Her family is broke and this is her last year of high school. Could you imagine how much she's stressing right now? Rachel has you and Shelby, and she already has her future set up. It's no wonder she's taking out her frustrations out on her."

Hiram looked at Cassandra and nodded. As much as he wanted to be pissed and have Quinn Fabray expelled, he just couldn't get past her situation.

_What am I going to do now?_

XxX

Two hours had passed since Rachel dropped Quinn off at her house and she still couldn't get the blonde out of her head. As she lied outside on her terrace, she wondered to herself why the girl had suddenly taken over her mind. Sure the blonde had come to her defense in glee, but that was probably going to be a onetime thing. Santana had looked furious when Quinn scolded the girl for interrupting Rachel. If anything, Quinn was going to dislike her even more for causing a fight between the two girls. She really hoped it wouldn't be the case but she had to admit it was a possibility.

Still, even with Quinn glaring at Rachel, she felt her heart swell every time they made eye contact. The cheerleader's eyes were just stunning. Rachel had never seen hazel eyes like Quinn's before. Her mother's eyes were somewhat hazel but the green in them dominated.

A buzz pulled Rachel out of her thoughts. She stood from her seat on the terrace and walked into her bedroom where she heard the buzzing noise come from. When the buzz sound repeated itself she discovered it was the control panel. Rachel grabbed it from her bed and looked at the screen. Someone was at the front gate. She tapped the screen to see who it was.

The brunette's heart swelled when Quinn's image pop up on the screen. Quinn Fabray was at her house.

"Hello?" Rachel stammered. She didn't know why Quinn was at her house but she hoped it was for a good reason. _Maybe she wants to talk?_

"Yeah, Berry? It's me, Quinn," the blonde replied. She seemed completely at ease. Rachel felt relieved, but it still didn't calm her racing heart.

"Oh, hello Quinn, is there anything I can help you with?" Rachel asked. She looked at the screen intently. Quinn didn't know the brunette was watching.

Quinn took a deep breath. She couldn't believe she was at the Berry's home. It was so daunting being there. The house was huge. The gate alone scared her. She was so nervous.

Rachel noticed how uneasy Quinn seemed to be acting.

"Um yeah… I kinda left my backpack in your car and I was wondering if I could get it. I have my cell phone in there."

Rachel was disappointed. Of course Quinn was there to pick up the back pack she had left in her car. There was no other reason for her to be there. It wasn't like she was there to actually see Rachel.

"I'm so sorry, of course come in," Rachel replied. She tapped the open button on the panel and immediately the gate opened for Quinn. "Come to the front door and I'll get your back pack for you."

Quinn nodded. Then she mentally slapped herself for thinking Rachel could see.

The brunette laughed when she saw Quinn scolding herself for nodding. _If only she knew she was being watched._

"Thanks," Quinn spoke softly before driving past the gate.

Rachel quickly dropped the control on her bed and ran downstairs at full speed. She almost tripped down the stairs but caught herself. _Thank god for my killer reflexes. _She got to the giant double doors before Quinn could get out of her car and was about to open the door when she stopped her actions.

_Should I wait until she knocks to open it? Or should I just open it and wait for her?_

Rachel didn't know if opening it would make her seem eager, but as she contemplated it Quinn was outside looking at the mansion with awe. She had never seen a house of such size before. It looked like a hotel or an apartment complex. She wondered what it looked on the inside.

_I wonder if she'll let me in? _Quinn thought to herself. She slowly walked up to the beautiful double door entrance and lifted her hand to knock, but before she could make contact, the door opened revealing a very flushed Rachel.

The blonde took a second to take in the other girl's appearance. Rachel was definitely short. She was wearing absolutely no footwear, or socks even. She had pretty dainty feet with cute toes.

As Quinn continued to look up Rachel's body, she noticed how her legs went on for miles. When she got to her thighs she noticed the tiny diva was wearing ridiculously short shorts. _Wait, are those boy shorts? Is she in her underwear? _Quinn blushed at the thought. She would never get caught answering the front door in her underwear.

"Are you in your underwear?" Quinn blurted out without thinking; she didn't even remove her eyes from the tiny layer of clothing after asking the question. When she didn't hear Rachel respond she looked up at the brunette and noticed the girl was blushing.

"They look like underwear?" Rachel asked shyly.

Quinn took another look at the shorts and nodded. _Yup, they look like underwear._

"Oh, well they're not, actually. These are my volleyball tights. They're really comfortable so I wear them a lot," Rachel answered, reaching down and feeling the fabric of her tights. She pinched it and pulled back so it could snap. They were really formfitting.

"Oh," Quinn exhaled as she continued to look up her body. Rachel was also wearing a tiny tank top. Her scantily clad body shouldn't have made Quinn blush, but she couldn't help it. Finally when she looked at Rachel's face, she noticed the smaller girl wasn't wearing any make-up, and yet, she looked just as pretty as she did with makeup on. _That's just not fair,_ the blonde thought.

The two girls stared at each other for a moment before Quinn realized why she was there in the first place. She had been so distracted by Rachel's barely there ensemble that she had forgotten about her backpack.

"Um… so do you have my back pack?" Quinn asked.

Rachel was pulled out of her thoughts by Quinn's question. The tiny girl had been caught up in the blonde's eyes again. _Damn it, why do her eyes have to be so beautiful?_

"Yeah, it's in my car. Let me go get it," Rachel stammered. She turned around and ran back inside her house. She was about to reach the formal living room when she realized she left Quinn outside by herself. The brunette turned around and rushed back to the front door.

"Come on in! Sorry for just leaving you like that, I don't know what's gotten into me," Rachel laughed nervously. Quinn gave her a tiny smile and walked inside the house.

"Um… just follow me," Rachel told the blonde. Quinn nodded, but all she could was ogle the beautiful home. It was absolutely stunning. She'd never seen a home decorated so beautifully. Quinn felt a pang of envy.

When they made it to the kitchen Rachel grabbed her car keys and led Quinn outside through the glass panel doors. The blonde followed Rachel out and almost gasped out loud when she saw how incredible the backyard was. There weren't any words to describe how amazing it really was. The pool was just unbelievable and the outdoor kitchen was spectacular. The cheerleader couldn't believe Rachel had a tiny forest for a back yard. Quinn spotted some paved trails leading past the trees so she figured it was safe to walk through it.

"Quinn?" Rachel called. The girl had been right behind her and now she standing twenty feet away. Rachel noticed how Quinn was gazing out into the trees of her backyard. The brunette had yet to go explore the small forest but she promised herself she would do it soon. She just didn't want to go by herself.

"Quinn?" Rachel called again. This time the blonde quickly turned to her and caught up. Quinn blushed when she reached the tiny brunette.

"Sorry, I was just admiring how beautiful it is out here," Quinn muttered.

Rachel smiled. "It's nice isn't it? I still haven't fully explored it, but I will soon. This place is just too big to explore on my own."

Quinn nodded.

When the two girls reached the car garage Rachel quickly scanned her hand and typed in the security code to go in. Quinn was quite impressed by the security measures but she thought it was a bit too much. _It's just a car._

Rachel opened the door and let Quinn walk in first. "My car's all the way at the end," she told the cheerleader. Quinn nodded and stepped into the building. It was very dark so she couldn't see very much. When Rachel flipped on the lights, Quinn's eyes widened at the sight.

_So many cars…_

"This way," Rachel chirped as she led the way. Quinn followed her but stole glances at the cars parked in the structure. They were amazing.

The tiny brunette stopped when she reached her mini and unlocked the doors. She walked over to open the back seat door and leaned in to retrieve Quinn's bag. The blonde watched as the singer bent over into the back seat of her car, her butt staring Quinn right in the face.

"Here it is," Rachel said brightly, removing herself from the inside of the car and shutting the door. She walked up to Quinn and handed the cheerleader her red, black, and white Cheerios back pack.

"Thanks," Quinn swallowed. Rachel shrugged.

The two girls quickly made their way out of the garage and back to the main house. Quinn again was distracted by the beauty of Rachel's backyard and lingered by the back door.

"Rachel?" A deep voice called out. It grabbed both Quinn's and Rachel's attention.

Rachel had been standing next to Quinn as the girl lingered by the door. She knew the blonde liked the view and didn't want to ruin it for her so she was going to stand there until Quinn was ready. But when she heard her father's voice, she quickly walked back inside the house.

"Daddy," Rachel smiled when she saw her father walk into the sitting area. She was thrilled to see her father until she met his somber eyes. She had never seen him look that way before. It was concerning.

"Daddy? Is everything ok?" Rachel asked, walking right up to him and wrapping her arms around his waist in a hug.

Hiram smiled slightly and gave his daughter a small squeeze. How was he going to tell her that he knew about the slushies? She was keeping it from him for a reason. He didn't know why she would hide it from him but he felt like it would ruin things if he brought it up. Having Rachel live with him was one of the best things that had happened to him in a long time. Hiram loved having her there. He just didn't want to scare her away by getting involved in things she obviously didn't want him involved in. But he couldn't just stand around and let his daughter become ostricized at school. He needed to do something.

"Honey, we need to talk," Hiram sighed. He wanted Rachel to confirm what Cassandra had told him. If she was really being slushied—and by Quinn Fabray, no less—he was going to have to figure out a way to stop the bullying without having the Cheerio expelled. The girl was already troubled by having a negligent, alcoholic mother and an absentee father, he didn't want to completly ruin the girl's life.

"About what?" Rachel asked nervously.

"I want to talk about-" Hiram started when something by the back door caught his eye. He looked up and was stunned to find Quinn Fabray standing in the doorway. _What is she doing here?_ He thought.

Rachel noticed her father looking at something by the back door and turned around to see what it was. For a second, Rachel had forgotten that Quinn was there.

"I'm such a bad host!" Rachel exclaimed and walked over to a very nervous looking Quinn.

"Daddy, this is my..." Rachel trailed off, she wasn't sure how to introduce Quinn to her father, "Quinn. This is Quinn."

Quinn stood frozen in place. She didn't hear a thing the brunette had said because the only thing she could hear was her pounding heart. Billionaire Berry was standing no more than ten feet away from her with a scowl on his face. A scowl that she was sure was directed at her. He didn't look happy at all.

_Shit. He knows._

* * *

**I hope you guys are enjoying it so far. Keep the feedback coming! I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as possible :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Happy Easter everybody! I just got off work so I decided to post another chapter. I might post one later on tonight, I'm still not sure. I kind of want some feedback on this chapter. If you guys could tell me how you're feeling about the story so far that would be great. Hope you enjoy it!**

**disclaimer: I do not own Glee. **

* * *

The moment Quinn realized Mr. Berry knew about what she had done, a tremendous wave of fear hit her. Her heart raced, her chest tightened, and she could hardly breathe. She felt like she was going to die. But even though her body was acting a complete mess on the inside, she looked completely indifferent on the outside.

From an early age, Quinn was taught to never show weakness. Whenever she would cry, her father would scold her for being weak. Whenever she was scared, her father would say "I'll give you something to be scared about." Emotions like sadness and fear were never expressed in the Fabray household. The only emotion she ever really saw was anger. It was all she knew. Her parents had no problem expressing _that_ emotion. Even happiness was eclipsed by rage. That's why she had masked her fear. She didn't want Rachel or Mr. Berry to see her in such a vulnerable state, especially Rachel.

"Hello, Mr. Berry," Quinn approached the handsome man. Rachel stood by him with a bemused expression on her face.

Hiram caught onto Quinn's façade and gave her a small smile. "Hello, Miss Fabray," he greeted, extending out his hand to the young blonde. Quinn shook his hand while avoiding his gaze. She didn't want him to see the worry in her eyes. She hoped that if he was going to tell her something that he would tell her in private. She wanted to keep at least an ounce of dignity.

Rachel looked between her father and the blonde and was completely taken aback by the fact that the two already knew each other.

"Daddy, you know Quinn?" Rachel looked up at Hiram. The older man gave Rachel a tight smile.

"Yes honey, I know the Fabray's. Quinn's father used to work for me, isn't that right Quinn?" Hiram raised a brow.

Quinn nodded, finally making eye contact again. She regretted it almost instantly. He had a glint in his eye. He _knew_ and he wasn't going to let it go.

_Fuck, what the hell am I going to do? Surely he's going to call Figgins and have me expelled, or worse, he's going to call Coach Sylvester._

Quinn swallowed hard at the thought of Coach Sylvester finding out about the slushies. Mr. Berry was one of the Cheerios' sponsors. If he decided to pull out, then Sue was going to murder her and Santana and hide their bodies somewhere where nobody could find them.

"Is something wrong Quinn?" Rachel asked. She had noticed the hazy look in Quinn's eyes and was curious to know what was going on in the blonde's head.

Quinn was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of Rachel's melodic voice. She turned to the brunette, whose head was tilted slightly to the left with a curious expression on her face.

"Nothing's wrong. I was just thinking that I better leave. My mother will be upset if she gets home and I'm not there," Quinn lied. Her mother didn't give a rat's ass if she was home but she needed an excuse to leave. "Thanks for retrieving my backpack for me, B- Rachel," she stammered. "I better get going now."

Quinn quickly moved around Rachel but was stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It made her entire body quiver. When she looked over her shoulder she saw it was Rachel who had stopped her. The brunette's hand was still firmly placed on her shoulder and all Quinn wanted to do was shrug it off and run out of the place.

"Let me walk you out," Rachel said timidly.

Quinn thought about it for a second but eventually accepted. All she wanted to do was leave the house before Mr. Berry could say something.

"Actually, why don't _I_ walk you out Miss Fabray?" Hiram spoke. Quinn's stomach dropped. "Rachel honey, why don't you order dinner while I walk out Miss Fabray? I have something to discuss with her."

_Well at least he's going to do it in private_, Quinn thought.

"What about?" Rachel asked. She was interested to know what it was her father wanted to discuss with Quinn. _  
_

"Oh nothing interesting, I just want to know how her dad's doing," Hiram shrugged, playing it off nicely.

Quinn hoped Mr. Berry was lying because she had absolutely no idea where her father was or how he was doing. _I hope he's lying in a ditch somewhere with that tramp he left us for._

Rachel nodded and looked at Quinn. "I guess I'll see you Monday, Quinn. Have a good night," Rachel smiled, her brown eyes meeting Quinn's hazel ones.

"Yeah, I'll see you Monday," she replied. Rachel's stare had been so intense it made Quinn's insides twist again. When they broke eye contact, Rachel quickly moved around her and headed towards the staircase by the kitchen. When Rachel was out of sight, Quinn turned to the tall man standing behind her.

"Come with me," the older man commanded. His voice didn't sound angry but it was stern.

Quinn did as she was told and followed him. When they reached the foyer the cheerleader was almost certain Mr. Berry was going to let her go, but when he stopped in front of a pair of double doors, she knew she wasn't going to be so lucky.

She watched as Mr. Berry placed his index finger on a small screen next to the door to be scanned. It was just like what Rachel had done outside the garage, but this time it was only his index finger that had to be scanned. He didn't even have to put in a passcode.

Hiram opened the door to his office and motioned for Quinn to step inside. "Don't worry Miss Fabray, I don't bite. I'll leave the door open so you'll feel more comfortable," he told her as the young blonde stepped inside.

Quinn was relieved he was leaving the door open. She never believed Mr. Berry would ever hurt her, but it made her feel much better. She looked around his office with awe. It was large and spacious. There were paintings and pictures everywhere. Quinn never thought of herself as an art enthusiast but some of the paintings in there were just plain beautiful. There was even a painting of Rachel. She was a lot younger in it, maybe nine or ten, and she was sitting on Mr. Berry's lap. Both Berry's looked great. Mr. Berry was in a suit like always and Rachel was wearing a dress with tights and black shiny shoes. The more Quinn stared at it, the more she saw the resemblance between father and daughter. There was no doubt Rachel was Mr. Berry's daughter, but she had a lot of facial features that weren't his. Her lips for one were not Mr. Berry's. Rachel's lips were full and plump, and Mr. Berry's were slightly thin. Her face shape was also different from her father's and her cheek bones were higher. Quinn had absolutely no idea what Rachel's mother looked like but she imagined her being a very beautiful woman.

"She's a beautiful girl, isn't she?"

Quinn turned around and found the brunette's father looking at the exact same painting she had been staring at for the past two minutes. He smiled crookedly at the painting and then looked at Quinn.

"Yeah," Quinn answered. It wasn't like she could deny it. She didn't want to upset him.

"You're a beautiful girl, too, Quinn," Hiram spoke, "and also smart and talented."

Quinn blushed profusely. "Thanks," she murmured.

"It makes me wonder why you do the things you do. You have so much beauty and grace. Why taint it by being a bully."

Quinn was surprised by how straight forward Mr. Berry was being. What was she supposed to say in response to his backhanded compliment? _Thanks, I'm sorry? _No, there really wasn't anything she could say in her defense. All she had to do was take what he was going to give her and then suffer the consequences.

"I know why you do it," Hiram continued. He noticed how the girl had gone speechless. He understood she was nervous and afraid, but there was no beating around the bush. She was bullying Rachel and she deserved to know how he felt about it.

"Take a seat," Hiram told Quinn. He went to his desk and sat down in his designated chair. Quinn did as she was told and took a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"So why do you think I do it?" Quinn asked. She had built up the courage to ask the older man simply because she was curious. He said he knew why she did it and she wanted to hear what it was exactly that he thought.

Hiram saw the blank expression on the blonde's face. It made him wonder why the girl didn't seem to express any emotion. She did when they first saw each other earlier that evening, but now she was acting as if nothing was happening. It sort of bothered him how easy it was for her to put up a mask of indifference.

"I know you're having a hard time, Miss Fabray. I really don't want to have to bring up anything unpleasant for you but I am aware of your father's absence."

Quinn's chest tightened. She hated talking about her dad. It made her feel angry and bitter.

"My father abandoned my mother and me, of course it's unpleasant," Quinn said icily. She had broken her mask of indifference and was scowling at Mr. Berry. _What the hell does he know?_

Hiram realized just how angry Quinn really was. She was frustrated and bitter. It was no wonder why she was taking it out on his daughter. She needed a way to express her frustrations and having people slushied was a way of doing that.

"I know you're upset Miss Fabray, and I completely agree with why you're angry, but bullying others isn't going to solve anything. I'm not just saying this because my daughter is a target of your bullying; I'm saying this because it's not good for you."

Quinn glared at the man sitting in front of her. She knew he was right. Just hours before Kurt had told her the same thing. But what upset her the most was the fact that Mr. Berry seemed to know how vulnerable Quinn really was, even with her mask on.

"That being said," Hiram continued, "I _encourage _you to stop slushing my daughter and the rest of the students at McKinley." It was more of a demand then encouragement.

Quinn didn't like to be told what to do, but she knew it was for the best if she didn't argue with Mr. Berry. She had already come to the conclusion that she would stop, but hearing Mr. Berry demand it kind of pissed her off.

"You don't have to _encourage _me to do anything, Mr. Berry. I had already decided not to continue 'bullying' your daughter. But I can't guarantee you that the other Cheerios or jocks won't go after her," Quinn replied.

There were a few Cheerios Quinn remembered didn't like Rachel much. The blonde had made them run laps when she heard them talk badly about the girl. For some odd reason, Quinn felt like she was the only one who knew Rachel enough to talk about her. She didn't know everything about her, but she knew enough. Rachel talked so much in glee that it made it easy for others to pick up some info about the brunette.

"So what you're saying is that even though you won't request to have Rachel slushied, she still might get slushied by others?" Hiram asked.

Quinn nodded. The Cheerios and jocks did have minds of their own after all. _They might not have big brains but they do have them._

The blonde watched as Hiram mulled things over. He wanted Rachel to feel safe at school, but the only way that was going to happen was if she was popular. Popular kids never had to worry about being bullied. Quinn was an example of that. She sure wasn't the happiest of kids at McKinley, but that had nothing to do with her popularity. She was lonely. Her mother was a drunk and her father was an asshole. Quinn felt uncared for.

Hiram smiled. He'd found his solution.

There was nobody more caring in the world than Rachel. She was so generous with her kindness and cared for everybody, even her enemies. It astounded Hiram how nice and forgiving Rachel could be. She was so compassionate it made his heart swell sometimes. It wasn't ideal to have Rachel and Quinn become friends, but something was telling him that it could work. Rachel could help Quinn and vice versa.

"Miss Fabray, what would happen if Mr. Figgins found out about your _activities_? Do you know the proper punishment?" Hiram asked.

Quinn's heart raced when Mr. Berry mentioned Figgins. She just knew he was going to report her. Why else would he ask her about the punishment? Obviously he wanted to make sure it was enough for what she put his daughter through.

"He'll probably have me suspended," she shrugged, trying to pass it off as indifference. She was completely freaking out. "And Coach Sylvester will probably put me at the bottom of the pyramid for getting in trouble. She did that to Santana last year when she found out about her boob job."

Hiram's eyes widened. Why would a girl so young get a boob job? _What the hell was Maribel thinking letting her daughter get a boob job? I hope a stupid idea like that never pops into Rachel's head. _

The older man noticed Quinn was looking at him funny and realized he had completely zoned out when she mentioned the boob job. He tried to remember what they were talking about. _Punishment, that's what we were talking about. She said Figgins would suspend her and Sylvester would drop her down to the bottom of the pyramid_, he recounted.

"Well you don't have to worry about me informing Mr. Figgins. I won't have you suspended or demoted to the bottom on the pyramid," Hiram told her.

Quinn's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when Mr. Berry told her he wasn't going to turn her in. It was a complete shock, but she felt relieved. Coach Sylvester wasn't going to kill her.

"I do have a favor to ask of you, though," Hiram smirked.

And just like that Quinn's relief was gone.

"What kind of favor?" Quinn asked tentatively. She was hoping it wasn't something too bad. She couldn't imagine Mr. Berry asking her to do something inappropriate. He seemed like a good guy.

"Well it's not really a favor. I guess you can say it's more of a proposition," he replied.

"A proposition?" the blond questioned. The thought of being propositioned made her feel even more nervous. Just the word itself sounded shady.

"I want you to be Rachel's friend... and I'm willing to pay you for it," Hiram grinned.

"What?" Quinn exclaimed, almost jumping out of her seat.

She couldn't believe Mr. Berry was offering to pay her to be Rachel's friend. Rachel didn't need the blonde as a friend. She had plenty of her own. Half of the damn glee club was in love with her. So why did Mr. Berry want _her_ to be the midget's friend? She didn't get it. Was it because she had bullied her? Was that it? It didn't make sense. He wanted to _pay_ her to be Rachel's friend. There had to be a lot more to it than that. It was completely insane.

"I'm sorry Mr. Berry but that sounds completely ridiculous. Why do you want me to be Rachel's friend? Don't you think it would be much better for her if I stay away?" Quinn argued.

Hiram chuckled. He knew it would take some convincing to get the blonde to agree. Good thing he had a plan.

"Miss Fabray, I know how high school works. I was in high school once. Popular kids don't get bullied. You should know, you _are_ the head Cheerio. When was the last time you had a slushie thrown in your face?"

Quinn stayed quiet. She had never been slushied.

"Do you see my point?" Hiram added. "Nobody would dare do anything to my daughter if she was your friend. They are all followers, Miss Fabray, and you're their leader. They will do anything you tell them to. It's why they started bullying her in the first place. _You_ asked them to."

Quinn felt flattered yet ashamed at the same time. It was true―the students of McKinley were followers. Nobody ever dared defy her. If she ordered them to jump off the cliff, they would do it in a heartbeat, no questions asked. So it was starting to make sense why Mr. Berry wanted Quinn to become Rachel's friend. But could they really be friends? The thought of being friends with the tiny brunette made the blonde's stomach twist.

"You can't buy friends," the cheerleader blurted out. It was somewhat true. Being paid to be someone's friend wasn't friendship, it was business.

Hiram thought about it for a second. "Then don't look it as being a friend, look at it as being a bodyguard of some sort. I'm not asking you to become her best friend. Just talk to her, be around her, and keep her safe. Rachel is only going to be her for two months. I really want her to enjoy it and the only way I know that'll happen is if she's safe. I know you can keep my daughter safe, Miss Fabray. I need you to do this for me. _She_ needs you."

Quinn's resolve was finally starting to crumble. Mr. Berry was practically begging her to accept his offer. But she still wasn't sure. Deals like these never worked out right. It was just too easy.

Hiram could see the conflict in Quinn's eyes. She was so close to accepting his offer, but she still needed more convincing. So he stood up from his desk and walked over to his small safe hidden in his bookshelf. He opened it and took out a stack of hundred dollar bills. When he turned around Quinn stared at him with intrigue.

"Tell me Miss Fabray, what's the one thing you've always wanted, money being no object."

Quinn remained quiet. There were a lot of things that she wanted.

"There has to be something that you want. A new car, a trip to Europe, college…"

The blonde's mask of indifference faltered at the mention of college. College was definitely something she wanted.

"College," Hiram smirked. He'd hit the bullseye. "I get it, today's economy is rough and with tuition rates going up its damn near impossible to get into a good school. What schools are you interested in attending?"

Quinn lifted her head up to look at Mr. Berry who was standing right in front of her, his bottom resting slightly on the top of his desk. He really seemed interested to know the answer and it wasn't in a mocking kind of way, he really seemed to care.

"There's only one school I really hope to get into. It's been my dream school since I was young," Quinn replied.

Hiram smiled at the blonde. Her fierce façade was slowly fading away.

"And what school is that? I'm hoping it's not Allen County Community College, because I know you're a lot more than _that_," he smiled.

A small smile tugged on her lips. Her heart warmed a little bit. She was flattered.

"No, it's Yale actually," Quinn said softly with a smile.

Hiram's eyes widened in surprise, but in a good way. The kids in Lima never really made it out of Ohio after graduation. Many of them made it to bigger cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati but never out of state. Yale was an incredible school and very prestigious. He was proud of Quinn for having such a big dream. Hopefully, she would let him help her get there.

"Ivy League, huh?" Hiram smirked. Quinn nodded. "I went to an Ivy League school too, Columbia University in New York. Ivy League schools are great schools but they're really expensive. I'm sure you know that."

Quinn nodded somberly. She had pretty much accepted the fact that Yale was not going to happen for her. Her mother was broke and financial aid was not going to be enough.

"I know that ever since your father left, you and your mother have been having a really hard time. Your father used to make a lot of money working for me and I imagine now that he's out of the picture money is a little tight." He paused. "Let me pay. I can make your dream of attending Yale come true."

The cheerleader was speechless. _What exactly does that entail?_ She asked herself. He said he would pay, but pay for what? Her first year of school? Her first semester? _What?_

"I'm willing to pay for your undergraduate studies, Miss Fabray. That means four years of school at Yale, or however long it takes you to graduate with a degree," he answered unknowingly. "What field of study are you planning to major in?"

Quinn was too baffled to answer. She had just gotten the offer of a lifetime. Undergraduate school for free? How the hell was she supposed to say no?

"Uh… well… um… I want to go into pre-law, but I'm planning on majoring in accounting. I want to be a corporate lawyer," the blonde stammered. She was still a bit awestruck.

Hiram clapped in excitement. He'd also majored in accounting when he was at Columbia. It was great to know that he and Quinn shared an interest. He was more impressed by the fact that she wanted to become a corporate lawyer, though. Law school was no joke. But he knew what a determined girl Quinn was. If she used the power and drive that she used to bully kids towards her studies to become a lawyer, then he knew she could possibly become one of the greatest corporate lawyers of her time. _I'd even hire her._

"Oh now you have to let me help you out, Miss Fabray. All you have to say is that you'll keep my Rachel from getting bullied. That's all you've got to do. It's only for two months and after that you won't have to do anything. Just make my daughter's time in Lima worthwhile."

Quinn bit her lip. It was oh so tempting. A free education was an opportunity she was never going to get again. She could just imagine how much the tuition at Yale was going to be. Not to mention everything else that came with being a college student. Books weren't exactly cheap.

"If I say yes Mr. Berry, what exactly would this deal consist of? I know you said I have to be Rachel's 'friend' and keep her safe, but I need you to be more specific because this is a really difficult choice to make," Quinn breathed. She felt like she was hyperventilating. It was all a little overwhelming.

"I have no problem going over the specifics, Miss Fabray. It's all fairly simple really. You become Rachel's bodyguard, guardian angel, fairy god-sister, whatever you want to call it. You look out for her as if she was your closest friend. You make sure no one hurts her. If somebody does, you let me know."

Quinn nodded. She could do that. For a free education she could be Rachel's bodyguard. Guardian angel was a bit too much and fairy god sister was a definite no. _Kurt's her fairy god-sister, not me, _she thought.

"And like I stated before, I'm not asking you to be her best friend, but if you happen to truly become her friend please do not betray her trust," Hiram added, "You're a good person, Miss Fabray. I can see it. I can see past your insecurities, and what I see is something beautiful and kind. And if I see it, then Rachel will too. She probably already has."

The thought of Rachel seeing through her was unnerving. The thought of _anybody_ seeing through her was unnerving. It was weakness, that's what it was. How was it possible that two people had already broken through her façade? First it was Kurt, then Mr. Berry, and now possibly Rachel? Was she really that weak? Kurt had mentioned cracks. Was it the cracks that were giving them a glimpse to the poor sap that she really was? She wasn't sure, but she was going to work extra hard to fix those cracks.

"Thank you, Mr. Berry," Quinn said politely. "I'm glad you see me in a good light even after what I've done. I won't let you down." She completely ignored his last comment.

Hiram's lips twitched. "So is that a yes? Are you willing to help me and Rachel?"

Quinn took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Great!" Hiram exclaimed. He pushed off the desk he was leaning on and dropped the stack of money he had in his hand into Quinn's hand.

"Here, take it," he told her. The girl looked at it with bewilderment.

"You're holding five dollars in your hand. Think of it as a bonus for agreeing," Hiram explained.

_Five thousand dollars! What the..._

"I don't get it, Mr. Berry. Is this how you're going to pay for my tuition? By handing me a stack of money at random times?"

Hiram laughed. The idea was so unorganized. He knew exactly how he was going to reward Quinn.

"No, Miss Fabray. This money is just for you. You can spend it however you'd like. It's not a part of your tuition money. Like I said, it's a bonus. Your tuition money will be given to you in the form of a scholarship. This year I decided to start a scholarship fund. It will grant ten students from around the country a full ride scholarship to the college of their choice. You will be one of those students. All you have to do is apply. The other students' applications will be reviewed by the board of my company to see who makes the cut. I'll make sure yours does. I just need you to apply so it's legit. I already think you're an excellent student. You have a 4.0 GPA, you're in the Cheerios, you're in glee club, you've done volunteer work at your church, and your teachers have nothing but nice things to say about you."

Quinn raised a brow in question. "How do you know all of that?"

"I had my assistant look you up," he shrugged.

"Oh," she sighed.

"Anyway, the point is that at the end of the day I make the decision of who gets a scholarship and I've already decided that you're going to be one of them. You just have to turn in your application, okay?"

Quinn nodded. If all she had to do was apply for some scholarship then she was going to do it.

"Great! Would you like to stay for dinner?" Hiram asked. They didn't have anything else to discuss so he figured why not invite her to stay for dinner. Quinn and Rachel were going to become 'friends' anyway.

_That's it? We're not going to shake on it or anything? _Quinn thought.

"Uh… no that's okay. I don't want to creep Rachel out by suddenly being nice to her and staying for dinner. I might need the weekend to work up to it."

Hiram laughed thinking Quinn was joking. She wasn't.

The blonde really didn't think she could be friendly to Rachel so suddenly. She had to work up to it or else it would seem too weird. If she wanted her 'friendship' to look believable, then she needed to slowly progress into it. It didn't mean she wasn't going to own up to her responsibility as her 'bodyguard', it just meant that she was going to do it from afar for a little bit.

"Okay then, I'll walk you out," Hiram smiled.

Quinn stood from her seat, but before she could walk out of Mr. Berry's office, she stuffed the stack of Benjamin's in her backpack. Nobody should ever have that much money exposed.

Quinn and Hiram filed out into the foyer and walked towards the front door, but before they could reach it Rachel came running down the stairs.

"Quinn, wait!"

The blonde turned around when she heard her name being called. Her eyes widened when she saw Rachel running towards her.

_Oh. My. God_

XxX

Rachel was anxious. She couldn't stop pacing around her room. She was just so damn curious to know what Quinn and her father were talking about. He told her it was nothing but she was still concerned. Quinn looked so uncomfortable. She knew her father would never hurt Quinn, but the look on the blonde's face had been stuck in her mind since she departed. The anxiety was starting to get to her.

"Stop it! All of this stress is bad for you," Rachel told herself. She let out a frustrated sigh and threw herself on her bed. She was so anxious her body was shaking. She needed a way to get it all out of her system.

She turned her head and looked at the brand new addition to her room, her elliptical. Before it was moved into her room it was in the home gym on the other side of the house. She had begged her father to move it to her room claiming she needed it there for her morning workouts. She didn't want to have to walk all the way to the other side of the house when all she could do was take a step out of bed. Besides, her shower and dressing room were close by. Hiram had relented.

Rachel decided to work out to get rid of all the pent up anxiety so she hopped out of bed and ran into her dressing room. She took off her t-shirt and bra and replaced it with a simple black sports bra. After putting on her Nike's, she stepped out of the small room only wearing her sports bra and volleyball spandex shorts._ God they are so comfy._

The tiny brunette stepped onto her elliptical and began her rigorous workout. Music was loudly playing throughout the room. When one of her favorite Britney Spears songs began to play she decided sing along.

_Baby, can't you see  
I'm calling  
A guy like you  
Should wear a warning  
It's dangerous  
I'm fallin'_

_There's no escape_  
_I can't wait_  
_I need a hit_  
_Baby, give me it_  
_You're dangerous_  
_I'm lovin' it_

_Too high_  
_Can't come down_  
_Losing my head_  
_Spinning 'round and 'round_  
_Do you feel me now_

_With a taste of your lips_  
_I'm on a ride_  
_You're toxic I'm slipping under_  
_With a taste of a poison paradise_  
_I'm addicted to you_  
_Don't you know that you're toxic_  
_And I love what you do_  
_Don't you know that you're toxic_

_It's getting late_  
_To give you up_  
_I took a sip_  
_From my devil's cup_  
_Slowly_  
_It's taking over me_

_Too high_  
_Can't come down_  
_It's in the air_  
_And it's all around_  
_Can you feel me now_

_With a taste of your lips_  
_I'm on a ride_  
_You're toxic I'm slipping under_  
_With a taste of a poison paradise_  
_I'm addicted to you_  
_Don't you know that you're toxic_  
_And I love what you do_  
_Don't you know that you're toxic_

_Don't you know that you're toxic_

_With a taste of your lips_  
_I'm on a ride_  
_You're toxic I'm slipping under_  
_With a taste of a poison paradise_  
_I'm addicted to you_  
_Don't you know that you're toxic_

_Intoxicate me now_  
_With your lovin' now_  
_I think I'm ready now_  
_I think I'm ready now_  
_Intoxicate me now_  
_With your lovin' now_  
_I think I'm ready now_

By the end of the song Rachel felt a whole lot better. Britney always made her feel better. It wasn't because her music was carefree, but because she was such a strong woman and the thought of a strong woman singing such liberating songs made her happy. To her, the whole 'shaved head' thing never happened. _Nope, that was a bald cap._

After working out for fifteen minutes on the elliptical Rachel decided to check in on Quinn and her dad. She didn't want Quinn to leave before she had a chance to say one last goodbye. She had already said it twice but one more couldn't hurt.

She grabbed a small towel from her bathroom and wiped the sweat from her face before stepping out of her bedroom. When she was halfway to the staircase she heard a pair of voices. Her father and Quinn were in the foyer. Almost instantly she broke out into a sprint so she could catch the blonde before she left.

When she made it to the staircase her father and Quinn were right by the front door. Rachel called out Quinn's name to keep her from leaving. For some weird reason she felt like asking the blonde to stay. They weren't friends or anything but Rachel felt like now that Quinn wasn't being a complete bitch maybe they could be.

By the time the brunette made it down the stairs Quinn was staring at her with wide eyes. Rachel was panting from the short sprint.

"Quinn, I'm glad I caught you. I wanted to ask you if you'd like to join us for dinner?" Rachel asked the blonde. "If that's ok with you, daddy" she turned to her father.

Hiram chuckled. He had asked the blonde the exact same question no more than five minutes ago. _Great minds think alike._

"It's fine by me honey, but I already asked her to stay for dinner and she politely declined," Hiram told his daughter.

Rachel's face fell slightly. She looked at the blonde who was still staring at her. Her brows furrowed. _Do I have something on my face?_

The brunette then realized she had just finished a fifteen minute workout and she probably looked a mess. Not to mention she was all sweaty. She ran a hand down her abs and all she picked up was sweat. _Oh great, now Quinn thinks I'm gross._

"I know I look a hot mess, I just finished working out," Rachel chuckled nervously.

Quinn finally snapped out of the stupor she was in and looked at Rachel who was turning a dark shade of red.

"Oh, uh… it's ok. You should see me after Cheerios practice," Quinn laughed shyly.

Hiram smiled as he watched the two girl interact. He found it amusing how awkward the two were being. He had forgotten how awkward it could be to make friends, especially when the other person is your bully. _Former bully in this case_, he thought.

Rachel's eyes sort of glazed over when she thought of Quinn after Cheerio practice. _She probably looks just as gorgeous as always._

Both girls stood there awkwardly looking at each other. Then Quinn remembered it wasn't her house and she could actually leave.

"Well, I guess I should get going. It was very nice talking to you Mr. Berry," Quinn turned to the tall man beside her. He smiled down at her with a crooked grin. She still couldn't believe how handsome he was.

"It was a pleasure. And there's no need for formalities, you can go ahead and address me as Hiram," he told her.

Quinn nodded. "Then call me Quinn. Only my teachers call me Miss Fabray," she told him.

"No problem. I hope to see you around more, _Quinn_," Hiram winked.

Quinn didn't know whether to glare at Mr. Berry or not. He was making it totally obvious that they were sharing a secret. She didn't want Rachel to know that she was now her unofficial bodyguard and she was pretty sure Mr. Berry didn't want her to know he was paying someone off to look after her like she was a baby.

Instead Quinn just gave him a small nod and turned to Rachel.

"I'll walk you out," Rachel said quickly before Quinn could say goodbye.

Rachel walked past the blonde and opened the door for her. Quinn walked past her and through the doorway. When she heard the large door close behind her she looked back over her shoulder and found Rachel standing by the door. Quinn stopped and turned around. The brunette obviously had something to say.

"Just say what you have to say Berry, I don't have all day," Quinn told her. _Like I said, I can't be nice to her right away._

Rachel bit her lip and walked towards the blonde. Quinn's heart was beating frantically as she got closer.

"I-I know I said you could talk to me if you needed to―and the offer still stands—but if you don't feel like talking you can always sing. I find it to be incredibly therapeutic. You don't even have to sing to an audience. Just pick a song and sing. Put all your feelings into the song and I guarantee you'll feel better."

Quinn watched Rachel as she rambled on about singing. It was actually quite amusing.

_And cute… kind of_

The blonde shook her head. "Ok, Berry. I get it. You want me to sing my feelings. I'll try. But I really have to go home now. So I guess I will see you Monday."

Rachel nodded. "Oh ok. I'll see you Monday."

Quinn gave her a nod and walked around to the driver's side of her car and hopped in. She strapped herself into the seat and turned on the engine. When she turned back to look at the house Rachel was still standing there. The small brunette gave her a smile and waved.

Quinn sighed and waved back.

She put her car in drive and finally drove away from the giant home. Quinn looked back one more time and saw that Rachel was still standing there with a smile on her face. Quinn smirked as she watched the brunette's figure become smaller and smaller until she disappeared.

Half way to her house she heard her phone go off. She dug into her backpack and grabbed her cell phone. When she looked at the screen she saw she had multiple missed calls. Most of them were from Sam. _Oh geez._

She also had several messages. Most of them were, again, from Sam, but there was one message that made Quinn's gut clench.

_Berry is going down on Monday. What side are you on? Choose carefully Q – S_

"Fuck. My. Life"


	11. Chapter 11

**Keep the reviews coming guys! Here's the next chapter!**

**disclaimer: I do not own Glee. **

* * *

"You better have a good fucking explanation for this, Fabray. Me and Britt were 'bouts to get our mack on."

Quinn had gone straight to Santana's house after getting the Latina's ominous text. She had to stop her from doing whatever it was she was planning to do to Rachel. It was her job to look out for her now.

_Her bodyguard. _

"Look, I'm sorry for barging in here after what I said to you in glee, but I really need to talk to you," Quinn told her.

The two of them were standing in the foyer of Santana's house. Nobody was home except Santana and Brittany. The Latina's parents worked a lot so they were never home. With her mother working for a billion dollar enterprise and her father being a surgeon, they were never really home.

"Fine," grumbled the Latina. "Let's go upstairs."

Quinn followed Santana up the stairs and into her room. Lying in the center of Santana's bed was the blonde's other best friend, Brittany.

"Hey Q!" the tall girl smiled. She hopped off the bed and hugged the head Cheerio. Quinn was glad Brittany wasn't upset with her like Santana was. Brittany could never be mad at anybody.

"Hey Britt," Quinn hugged back. The two separated and Brittany grabbed her hand to lead her to the bed. Santana rolled her eyes. She couldn't understand why her girlfriend was being so nice to Quinn after she practically humiliated her in front of the glee club.

_Whatever, I don't care_, she thought.

"So what do you need to talk to me about? If you came to tell me why you were being such a bitch in glee than forget about it. I don't give a shit," Santana told her.

Quinn rolled her eyes. It was typical of the Latina to put up a front. If she didn't care about what happened in glee then she wouldn't have stormed out. The blonde didn't feel like arguing with her about it so she was just going to get to the point.

"It's not about that. It's about the text you sent me," she told her.

Santana smirked. She knew the text would get some kind of reaction out of her.

"Oh yeah? What about it?" the she asked nonchalantly. Her cool façade wasn't as impressive as Quinn's. The blonde always knew when she was hiding behind it.

"You have to stop whatever it is you're planning," Quinn told her.

It wasn't what Santana was expecting to hear.

"Why the hell would I do that?" she narrowed her eyes at the head Cheerio. Something was going on. There had to be a reason why Quinn was suddenly interested in being Rachel's buddy. It was her idea to torment the brunette in the first place.

"Because I wouldn't mess with Rachel if I were you." Quinn told her.

"Is that a threat?" Santana hissed.

The blonde shook her head. She didn't mean for it to come out as a threat. She was just warning her.

"No, it's not a threat. It's a warning. Her dad knows about everything that has been going down at school," she barked back.

At first Quinn wasn't sure how she was going to handle the situation. She knew she was going to have to tell Santana something. There were two routes the blonde had considered. The first one was to tell the Latina about the arrangement. She didn't like keeping secrets from her best friend. The second route was to tell Santana that Mr. Berry was going to go to Mr. Figgins if they didn't stop what they were doing to Rachel. Quinn thought it was the best out of the two. She really wanted to tell Santana about the arrangement but she couldn't do it. She couldn't risk it. Santana was her best friend, but sometimes she crossed lines. There was no doubt in Quinn's mind that the Latina would use that bit of information against her if anything bad ever happened between them. Santana was resentful and she wouldn't hesitate to tell Rachel.

_It's only for two months. I can keep this to myself for two months_, Quinn assured herself.

"What the hell are you talking about, Q?" Santana demanded. She figured the blonde was lying to scare her. There was no way the dwarf went to her father.

"Billionaire Berry knows about the slushie facials, San. And it wasn't the midget who told him either, he assured me of that," Quinn explained.

She had thought it out thoroughly. Keeping Rachel's name out of it was the best thing to do. The less Rachel was involved the better. Besides, she really didn't know who it was that told him. He didn't mention it, but she doubted it was Rachel. She really was too nice.

"So you talked to him?" Santana questioned as she paced the floor of her bedroom.

Quinn watched as the Latina walked around the room. The blonde herself was acting cool as cucumber sitting on the bed. Brittany was lying next to her watching cartoons―completely oblivious to the conversation.

"Yeah, he stopped me on my way home. He was pissed," Quinn said convincingly. "He told me he was going to tell Figgins and our parents if we didn't stop. I couldn't let him do that so I told him we would."

"Fuck!" Santana exclaimed.

"Yeah, so it's better if we just back off. We're not going to be her friend; we're just calling off the slushies. That's it," the blonde told her.

Santana sat on the bed with a frustrated sigh. "Who the fuck told him? If it wasn't the hobbit then who was it?" she wondered.

Quinn had to come up with something fast before the Latina began an investigation. She loved looking into things.

"I don't know. But think about it. There are tons of kids at school who have parents who work for Berry. Even some of the Cheerios on the squad have a parent who works for him. It could have been anybody, San."

Santana looked absolutely pissed. Only one week and already everything had gone to shit.

"Well if I ever find out who it was I'm gonna go all Lima heights on their sorry ass," she scowled. "I was actually looking forward to the slushy shower I had planned on Monday."

Quinn shuddered at the thought. She finally had a chance to make her dream come true and go to Yale. Sadly, the only person standing in the way of that happening was her best friend. The rest of the school population she could handle, but Santana was a wild card. She might be ok with not slushing Rachel, but she was definitely going to make up for it somehow.

"Let's just stay away from her for a while. It's not like there aren't other people you can torment. I'm pretty sure Jewfro enjoys it when you cuss at him in Spanish," the blonde teased. "I think he pretends your talking dirty to him or something."

Santana's face scrunched up in disgust and laughed. Just like that they were friends again. Quinn liked it when Santana wasn't a bitch. She was actually quite the human being when she wasn't tormenting other people. It was rare to see that side of her. Only Quinn and Brittany ever really got a taste of it.

Both Santana and Quinn lied back on the bed next to Brittany. While the taller blonde continued to watch her favorite cartoon, the other two girls turned to each other.

"So today in glee club, what was up with that?" Santana asked. She was truly concerned with the way the blonde had acted. It wasn't like Quinn to publically humiliate her best friend.

Quinn smirked, "So you do care?"

"Answer the question, Fabray," Santana scowled.

Quinn chuckled but her humorous expression soon changed into a much somber one.

"Nothing, I was just in a bad mood. Things at home aren't really getting better," she sighed. Quinn figured she'd use her home situation as an excuse. It was her excuse for everything lately.

Santana nodded inaudibly. She was well aware of what was happening in the Fabray household. She'd seen Judy Fabray down several glasses of Vodka. She's seen her step outside of her home with dark sunglasses on to hide her bloodshot eyes. She'd seen her lay on her couch hung over while she and Quinn cooked her breakfast. It was terrible and there was nothing she could do to make it better.

"Q, if you don't want to go home you can always stay here. Stay all weekend if you want. You know my parents don't mind," Santana offered.

Quinn smiled, "Thanks, San. I might just take you up on that."

The Latina grinned. "You're my best friend, you know that right?"

Quinn laughed, "Of course. I still remember you beat up Bethany Hamilton in the fifth grade because she told the entire class she was my best friend instead of you."

"Ugh," Santana groaned. "I remember that bitch. Thank god she moved during middle school. I don't think I would have been able to put up with her in high school."

Both girls laughed.

"What about me?" Brittany spoke up. The two girls hadn't been paying attention to the taller blonde since she was preoccupied watching cartoons. She was staring at Quinn and Santana with such big, innocent eyes.

"You're our best friend too, Britt," Quinn reached over and hugged Brittany, trapping Santana in the middle.

"You know, if we weren't such good friends and I didn't look at you like a sister, this would totally be hot," Santana told Quinn. The blonde scrunched up her nose and let go of the Latina. She was slightly disturbed by the image. Not because Brittany and Santana were girls, but because they truly were the best of friends.

"Ok, enough lady hugs. Let's watch something," Quinn announced. The three girls sat up on the bed with their backs up against the head board of Santana's bed.

"What do you want to watch, Britt Britt," Santana asked her girlfriend. It was always Brittany's choice when they were at Santana's house. She was whipped.

"Um… what about Finding Nemo? I never get to see the ending. We always end up having sexy times and with Q here I can finally see it," Brittany answered.

Santana blushed fiercely.

Quinn chuckled at how flushed the Latina was. "Finding Nemo it is!" she cheered. Her mood had finally brightened up. She just hoped it would stay that way.

XxX

Back at the Berry household Hiram and Rachel were getting ready to sit down for dinner. Since Quinn's visit, Hiram had been paying extra attention to Rachel. He had a lot of questions he wanted answered, one of them being why Rachel was so fond of Quinn. He didn't have to be observant to see it. His daughter was clearly fond of the Cheerio for some reason. It baffled him because she was being bullied by her.

The way Rachel was with Quinn was something along the lines of Stockholm syndrome, except Rachel had never been kidnapped or taken hostage. But she was victimized. Traumatic bonding, that's what it was. He had read about it once, how someone could have an emotional tie with another person who hurts them physically or emotionally. Hiram was starting to think he was looking too much into it but he couldn't help but be concerned. He didn't want his daughter to be too compassionate towards those who only wanted to hurt her.

"Daddy, are you ok? You've been very quiet."

Hiram was pulled out of his thoughts by Rachel. She was sitting across from him at the kitchen table. They were having Italian. It was Rachel's favorite.

"Yeah sweetie, I just have a lot on my mind. How was school today? We really haven't had time to talk since I got home."

He was going to try and find out as much as he could about Quinn from Rachel. He wanted to know what the brunette really thought about her. Hopefully she wouldn't lie to him.

"Fine. I know Quinn's visit was a bit unexpected. I hope you're not upset that she was here. I wasn't sure if you allowed visitors," Rachel said as she sipped on her water. She seemed a bit nervous.

"Of course it's ok, sweetheart. I don't mind if you have friends over," Hiram told her. He knew how important it was for kids to socialize. He wasn't going to keep Rachel from being a normal kid. Quinn mentioned Rachel had several friends. He hoped the tiny brunette would bring them over so he could meet them.

"You can bring over your friends whenever you want, but no boys in your bedroom. I understand that I might not always be home so I won't restrict you from having friends over; I just don't want any boys in your room. Got it?"

Rachel rolled her eyes at him and smiled, "Of course daddy, but what about Kurt? He's the closest friend I have here and probably the only one I think of inviting over in the future."

Hiram raised a brow, "Are you sure he's gay?"

The tiny brunette laughed, "Yes! He's probably more into guys than I am."

"Ok, ok, I guess I can make an exception," he chuckled. "But the first time you bring him over I better be here to meet him. I want to meet all of your friends. So far I've only met Quinn."

"I doubt you'll be seeing more of Quinn," Rachel mumbled. It was just loud enough for Hiram to hear it. He was instantly intrigued.

"Oh? And why is that?" Hiram asked nonchalantly. He was finally getting somewhere in regards to Quinn.

"Well Quinn and I aren't really friends. We're more like acquaintances," she explained.

Hiram noticed how Rachel wasn't making much eye contact with him.

"And would you like to be friends with Quinn?" he continued to interrogate.

Rachel stayed quiet for a moment before responding, "Yes, but it's unlikely we'll ever reach that point in our relationship. Quinn's the most popular girl at school and I'm the new girl. The odds aren't exactly in my favor, daddy," she told him.

It was clear to Hiram how low Rachel's self-esteem really was. The Rachel he knew was so confident and full with self-esteem.

"Well I think it's highly possible, sweetie. You've only been here a week. I guarantee you that by the end of the month, you'll be friends with more than half of the senior class. You're sweet, you're pretty, and you're smart. Who wouldn't want to be friends with you?"

Hiram watched as Rachel's entire face turned a violent shade of red. He grinned when her smile almost covered her entire face. She was smiling so big it lit up the entire room.

"I must have inherited my charm from you then," Rachel teased.

Hiram laughed, "Yeah, but don't tell your mother. She'll fight us on that for hours."

The tiny brunette giggled. "Speaking of mom, have you spoken to her?" she asked. The last time she spoke to Shelby had been on Monday when she got out of school.

Hiram nodded, "Yeah, I actually spoke to her today. She's been very busy. I'm sure she'll call you soon. When did she say she'd call you again?"

"She told me she'd call me this weekend. She told me they were very busy shooting. I understand so I'm not upset that we can't speak as frequently as we want to. I just miss her. She said if they gave her a break from shooting she would visit."

"That would be great," Hiram smiled. "Your mom hasn't been here in years. She might have to go incognito for a little bit but I'm sure you and I can make her time here worthwhile."

"Definitely!" Rachel beamed. The idea of having both her parents with her made her incredibly happy.

"So what do you have planned for us this weekend, daddy? No more shopping sprees I hope. We almost bought out the entire mall last weekend," Rachel giggled.

Hiram rolled his eyes, "You're no fun. Girls your age should be dying to go on shopping sprees every weekend. Besides, we still have the bigger cities to hit up. They have some really nice boutiques."

"I'm starting to think you're the one that wants to go shopping, daddy," Rachel raised a brow.

"You caught me, I'm a big shopaholic," he raised his hands in surrender. Rachel laughed and shook her head. Her dad was such a goof.

"To be honest sweetheart, I don't really have anything planned. I just thought we could do something here at home. We can stay indoors and watch movies or we can even go outside. I really like spending time with you, kiddo. You're the best part of my day," Hiram smiled adoringly.

Rachel couldn't help but smile back. She loved spending with her dad and a weekend at home sounded pretty good to her. She figured there wasn't much to do in Lima anyway besides visit the mall. And here at home she could do anything she wanted. Her backyard was a forest for god's sake. She could only imagine the endless adventures she could have back there. She could go for a walk, she could go to the lake and maybe take a book and read it lakeside, or she could even go for a swim. It all seemed like a fantasy for some reason. She had lived her entire life in the city. She wasn't used to this. It was like she was living life in a fairytale. All she needed was her prince to come rescue her from the torture of being lonely. Where was her knight in shining armor?

XxX

Rachel spent the entire weekend as planned. She and her father spent most of it exploring the backyard. It had come as a surprise to Rachel when her father told her he had never taken the time to explore his own backyard since he moved into the house. He hadn't had much time to do anything in his home really.

It really saddened Rachel at first because it only showed her how busy her father had been before she came to stay with him. She didn't know whether it was a good thing or bad thing that he was taking time off for her. She really wanted to spend time with him but she didn't want it to affect his work. But by the end of the weekend none of that mattered to her because she had had such a wonderful time with her dad that she was grateful to have him. It was as if they were best friends again, just like they were when she was a kid.

But the peaceful bubble she had created over the weekend had burst when she woke up for school Monday morning. She had to go back to McKinley and she had no idea what was waiting for her there.

Since Rachel didn't know whether she would be slushied or not, she grabbed a set of extra clothes just in case and stuffed it in her book bag. It was something very similar to what she was currently wearing. She was actually thinking of taking a trip to the mall so she could get more matching outfits. There were only so many combinations she could use before her friends would start to notice.

Once she slipped on her shoes she grabbed her book bag and headed out to school. Her dad had already left for work and she wasn't very hungry. It was one of the few times she had ever skipped breakfast. She just wasn't hungry.

When she arrived at McKinley she put on a brave face and walked in. She went immediately up to the second floor to grab her book for English. She and Kurt usually met up by his locker so she was anxious to get there. The jocks never slushied her when she was with someone so she didn't want to be alone for too long. When she spotted Kurt by his locker, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey Kurt!" Rachel greeted brightly. She was so happy to see him. The two of them had gotten so close so fast that it felt like they had been friends for years.

"Hey! Oh my god, you look fabulous!" Kurt greeted the brunette. He wrapped his arms around the tiny girl once she was close enough to hug. Rachel really was a cuddler. She loved being wrapped in other people's arms. She loved affection.

"How was your weekend?" Kurt asked as the two pulled apart. Rachel watched as the boy fixed his hair in the tiny mirror he had in his locker. It made Rachel smile.

"It was incredible. I spent the entire weekend with my dad. We stayed home and had a blast watching movies and going for swims. We even camped out in my backyard," Rachel gushed.

Kurt had to chuckle. He didn't see Rachel as the camping type.

"I didn't know you liked camping. I went camping with Finn and my dad once. It was horrible," Kurt told her.

Rachel giggled, "Well it was in my backyard so we weren't really out in the wilderness. It was a bit scary, though. After my dad told scary stories I couldn't really go to sleep so I sang until I fell asleep."

Kurt chuckled, "Rachel, you're the only person I know who would sing herself to sleep."

He shut his locker door and locked arms with the small brunette.

The two talked about Kurt's weekend in Columbus with his stepmom while they made their trek to Rachel's first period. She really enjoyed listening to Kurt talk about his family. It was amazing to her how Kurt could love his stepmother so much after only knowing her for a year. If her parents ever got remarried, she honestly didn't know what she would do. One thing was certain—she wouldn't be happy.

Kurt dropped Rachel off at her first period and promised to meet up with her later before walking down the hall to his own class. The tiny brunette was one of the first students in class so she was able to pick any seat she wanted. She was really glad Ms. Castle had decided not to assign seats. She didn't think she could handle sitting next to Jacob Ben-Israel all semester long, or at least until she moved back to New York.

As soon as the first bell rang everyone started filing into the room one by one, everyone except Santana and Quinn.

_Where are they?_ Rachel wondered. The last time she spoke to the blonde she had seemed a lot better than when she stormed out of glee. Her absence was really concerning. Santana's as well.

When first period came to a close there was still no sign of Quinn or Santana. Rachel didn't picture either girl as the type to miss school or skip class. Coach Sylvester was really strict. There was no doubt in the brunette's mind that the psychotic blonde woman would punish the two for their truancy.

On her way to Mr. Schuster's class Rachel felt like someone was following her. She didn't know who it was because she didn't want to look back but she could feel the intense stare of the unknown person. It made her body quiver, and it made her walk faster. She didn't doubt it was someone planning to slushie her. She could almost feel the ice cold concoction hitting her in the face. She was scared, but she wasn't going to let them slushie her again. She had had enough.

When Rachel reached the door to Mr. Schuster's class she took a deep breath and turned around. There was nobody there. Everyone in the hallway was going about their business. Not one person was focused on her. It was weird because she still felt like someone was staring at her. She spun around and looked in all directions but there was nobody who was looking her way. It was very odd and it made her feel uneasy.

_Ok, maybe you're just imagining things,_ Rachel told herself. She took a deep breath and walked into class, shutting the door behind her. Almost immediately the feeling went away.

After Schuster's class Rachel ran into Noah who offered to walk her to class. Oddly enough, she still felt somebody's intense stare burning a hole in the back of her head. Noah had an arm wrapped around her so she knew she was safe but her body still quivered. After declining to wear Noah's letterman jacket because she was 'cold', the bad boy dropped her off in front of her third period class. When Noah walked away she decided to stay out in the hall for a little bit to see if the sensation went away before going into class. As soon as the bell rang, the feeling went away. Whoever it was that was following her was going to be late to class.

Surprisingly enough, Rachel didn't feel anybody following her when she walked to her fourth period. She had met up with Kurt halfway to the class and was relieved that nobody was following her. It made her feel a lot better. But she was still curious to find out who it was that had been following her. She tried to think of suspects but the only one she could think of was Jacob Ben-Israel. She knew he had a crush on her, she just didn't know he had a tendency to stalk people. It was kind of scary.

"I think Jacob has been stalking me," Rachel spoke up as she and Kurt walked together to her locker. Usually after fourth period the two would separate but this time Kurt insisted he come along. Rachel was somewhat relieved. Maybe if Kurt was with her nobody would attempt to throw a slushie in her face.

"Jacob Ben-Israel?" Kurt furrowed his eyebrows.

"Yes. I've been getting this eerie feeling that someone has been following me. He's the only one I can think of," she told him.

The duo stopped at Rachel's locker and Kurt watched as the tiny brunette opened it and placed her book bag inside.

"Are you sure it's him? Jacob's a creep but I don't think he'd go as far as stalking someone," Kurt told her.

She sighed. "I don't know. But it's really unnerving. I've been feeling paranoid all morning. It's not a great feeling. My mom-"

Rachel was about to tell Kurt how her mother sometimes got paranoid while she was out in the city because of paparazzi, but she had forgotten that he didn't know about her famous mother.

"Your mom what?" the boy asked. He was well aware that Rachel was about to reveal something about her mysterious mother and he wasn't ashamed to admit he really wanted to find out more about the woman. Rachel hardly spoke about her.

"She… uh… she always tells me that I'm overdramatic. That's probably it," the tiny brunette laughed nervously.

Kurt pouted. That was definitely not what she was going to say. He was becoming very curious about Rachel's background. He only really knew about her father. He was starting to wonder if Rachel had some kind of dark past or something. He could never imagine Rachel being a criminal or anything like that but maybe her mom was. So many thoughts flooded Kurt's mind.

_Oh my god, what if Rachel's mom is a fugitive? What if she left Rachel because she killed somebody and is on the run? Or maybe her mother is in the mafia or something like that? She could have a stepfather that's a mob boss, or…_

"Kurt? Are you ok? Where'd you go just then?" the tiny girl giggled. Kurt looked like he had dozed off to la la land. Rachel found it quite amusing.

"Oh nothing," he chuckled nervously. "Are you ready to head to lunch? I'm starved." Kurt patted his flat stomach.

"Yes, I'm ready. Let's go." She shut her locker door and locked arms with Kurt.

When she and Kurt turned to head towards the cafeteria, they were stopped immediately by one lone Cheerio. Rachel's heart began to race.

"Uh hi," Rachel swallowed. She had never seen this girl before. She was tall and tan with chestnut colored hair that was tightly tied back in a high ponytail. She was really pretty. Her golden brown eyes really stood out against the tan color of her skin. This girl was glowing.

"Hi," the girl smiled radiantly. Rachel was taken aback. Not one Cheerio had ever smiled at her. Something was definitely going on and Kurt was able to sense it too.

"Can we help you?" Kurt asked. He stood his ground firmly with his chin up and shoulders back. He wasn't sure why the girl was there in the first place, but he hoped it wasn't to mouth off to Rachel. He wouldn't stand for that.

The girl looked at Kurt and gave him a reassuring smile before looking back down at Rachel.

"I'm sorry for coming up to you like this, but I really just wanted to apologize. I know last week was a little rough for you-"

"Was it now?" Kurt said tersely. He looked down at Rachel and she smiled up at him guiltily. It seemed the cat was out of the bag. Of course, Kurt already knew what had happened but he was relieved this girl had brought it up. Now he could scold Rachel properly without feeling like a creep for being too observant.

The Cheerios' smile faltered for a second. "Yea, sorry about that, I really had no control over it."

Rachel smiled up at the girl. It was sweet for the Cheerio to apologize even though the tiny brunette had no idea why she was doing it.

"Thank you for apologizing, but I don't remember you from last week. You're very pretty, I'm sure I would have remembered you," Rachel told her, her cheeks slightly reddening.

Kurt looked down at Rachel with a baffled expression. _Did she really just say that? Is she flirting with her?_

The Cheerio blushed," Thanks, but I'm definitely not prettier than you. You're gorgeous."

Kurt's eyes widened at the comment. The Cheerio was flirting back. _Holy shit, is this really happening?_

"Thank you," Rachel smiled bashfully. "I don't get told that very often."

"You should," the girl gazed into Rachel's chocolate brown eyes, "you're stunning."

Kurt didn't like the way the Cheerio was staring at Rachel so he decided to cut into their conversation.

"Ok, so why are you here again?" Kurt said bluntly. Rachel frowned at Kurt. She thought he was being a little rude towards the girl.

The girl tore her eyes away from Rachel and looked at Kurt. He didn't look too happy.

"I came to apologize on behalf of the Cheerios. We really didn't want to slushie you but Quinn gave out the orders and we had to obey her. But now that she put a slushie ban on you, you don't have to worry about that ever happening again."

Rachel's brows furrowed in bewilderment. "What do you mean she put a slushie ban on me?"

Kurt didn't say anything but he knew exactly what it meant. Quinn had taken his advice and was going to stop torturing Rachel. He tried to hide his smile but he couldn't. He was so happy Rachel wasn't going to be slushied anymore. It was such a relief.

"As head Cheerio, Quinn banned all of us from slushing you. If any of us do, then it would be like committing social suicide. She called a meeting during first period and told us."

Rachel's eyes widened. Quinn had done that? She had prohibited anybody from harassing her? The tiny brunette couldn't believe it. She wasn't expecting the blonde to anything like that. She was hoping she would, but she never actually thought it would happen. She smiled in relief and her body suddenly relaxed. She didn't even know she was tense.

_That's why she wasn't in first period_, she smiled to herself. It made sense to her now.

Kurt, on the other hand, still didn't know what the Cheerio was doing there. "So is that why you're here, because now you won't get exiled for talking to her?" he questioned. He was glad the slushie facials were going to be over but the girl was still a little suspicious.

"Yeah," she said guiltily. "I never slushied you, but I never really did anything to stop them. I'm just glad all of that is over and I can talk to you now. You seem like a very sweet girl," the Cheerio smiled flirtatiously.

_Oh wow, she's totally crushing on Rachel_, Kurt thought immediately.

"Thank you. It was very nice of you to approach me and apologize, but you really didn't have to," Rachel said kindly.

"Yeah, you didn't," Kurt added. He didn't have anything against the girl but he didn't know much about her to approve her flirting. He didn't even know if Rachel was aware that she was flirting back. For all he knew, Rachel was completely oblivious to the amount of eye fucking the Cheerio was doing.

The Cheerio shrugged bashfully, "I guess you can say it was an excuse to meet your acquaintance."

Rachel smiled brightly. The girl was clearly a charmer.

"Who the hell are you?" Kurt blurted out. He was tired of the blatant flirting. He just wanted to know who this girl was so he could dig up some dirt on her.

The Cheerio looked at Kurt. She didn't care that he was single handedly trying to ruin her game.

"I'm Monica, Monica Juarez," the girl told him. She glanced at Rachel and gave her a wink. Kurt didn't miss it.

"Are you a senior? Because I don't think I've ever had you in any of my classes," Kurt interrogated.

Monica shook her head. "No, I'm a junior. I'm actually the Cheerios JV Captain."

Kurt smirked. "You're on JV? Couldn't make it on varsity?" _This girl is pathetic._

Monica glared at Kurt for like a second and then answered with a smile, "Actually, I did make varsity, but I like to be a part of a group where everybody's talents are highlighted, not just Quinn Fabray's. I make sure that happens on my squad."

And with that comment Kurt decided he didn't like Monica Juarez. Quinn may have been an evil bitch sometimes, but she was a great captain and leader. She always made sure everybody in glee club was equally involved in a performance and he was pretty sure it was the same with the Cheerios. This girl was just jealous of the blonde. And her intentions were clear. She wanted to kick Quinn off the top and she was going to use Rachel to do so.


	12. Chapter 12

**So sorry for the late update. I have been very busy lately. Thank you all so much for your reviews. They keep me going :) I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

**disclaimer: I do not own Glee. **

* * *

Quinn sat anxiously in the back of the choir room waiting for Rachel to arrive. She was exhausted. Who knew following Rachel around could be so tiring? Not her. She thought it was going to be a cake walk following Rachel to her classes, but that wasn't the case. The tiny brunette knew she was being followed. It would be the only explanation as to why she kept looking back while she walked to her class. It was like she knew Quinn was secretly watching. It was very irritating. She had to keep ducking in and out of classrooms every time she would turn around to inspect.

The blonde only took her eyes off of Rachel a couple of times. The first time was during first period when she called a Cheerios meeting and demanded they stop harassing Rachel. None of them questioned her or even spoke; they were going to obey her.

The second time she lost sight of Rachel was during lunch. She actually left class early so she could make sure Rachel made it okay to the cafeteria, but Sue had pulled her into her office when she saw her in the hallway. They discussed Cheerios business. Sue wanted Quinn to come up with a routine for their half-time show during the first football game of the season. The football game was on Friday so Quinn only had a handful of days to perfect a five minute cheerleading routine. It was going to be hard but she could do it. She was Quinn Fabray after all.

When she finally made it out of Sue's office the fifth period bell had rung. She had absolutely no time to check on Rachel so she ran to class and hoped everything was okay. But it didn't lessen the worry. All fifth period she'd waited anxiously for the bell to ring so she could go to glee club and see for herself if the tiny brunette was still intact. Now she was sitting in the choir room waiting for Rachel to walk in. So far it was only her, Artie, Mercedes, Tina, Mike, and Matt who were in the room. Santana, Brittany, Puck, Sam, Kurt, Finn, and Rachel were still missing. She was becoming more and more anxious by the minute.

Quinn called Santana and Brittany over the second they walked in. Santana rolled her eyes at the blonde but Brittany happily obliged.

"What's with the angst? Are you having a panic attack or something? Because I'm sure your mom has some pills for that," Santana joked.

Quinn glared daggers at the Latina. She knew the girl was playing around but it still felt like an insult. But that was just how Santana was—always taking digs at people.

"Coach told me to make up a routine for this Friday. I'm just stressing out about it, that's all," she lied.

Santana rolled her eyes. "See, this is why I should have been Cheerio captain this year. I don't stress out about shit like that. I can have a routine done by the end of the day."

"So can I. I'm only worrying about it because it's the first half-time show of the season. I want it to be perfect," Quinn defended. She wasn't stressing out about the routine at all. She had already thought up some ideas during fifth period. If the girls cooperated with her after school during Cheerios practice then they'd have a routine by the end of the day.

"Whatever," Santana grumbled. Quinn smirked. 'Whatever' was code for 'You win, bitch.'

"Can I help, Q?" Brittany asked. She loved to help Quinn choreograph the routines. The head Cheerio was best at coordinating the stunts and left most of the dance choreography to Brittany.

"Of course Britt, I can't do it without you," Quinn smiled.

"Yay!" Brittany jumped excitedly. Santana laughed and held her girlfriends hand. The two girls cuddled next to Quinn as she watched them adoringly. It was nice to see her best friends in love.

When she turned to face the front of the class two people walked in the door. It was Sam and Puck. It wasn't who she was waiting for but it was still nice to see her boyfriend. The boy smiled at her when he caught sight of the blonde and walked over to give her a kiss. Quinn gladly accepted it and kissed him back with fervor. She was hoping she would feel the spark the girls sitting beside her felt when they were with each other, but the only thing she felt were warm lips. It felt nice, but she knew it could feel better. Still, she loved Sam and he was her rock. If she had to settle with anybody it would be him.

"Hey," Sam breathed against her lips.

Quinn kissed his lips one more time before pulling away slightly. "Hi," she smiled.

"I haven't seen you all day. Where have you been?" Sam inquired, "I missed you."

The two blondes were still pretty close to each other. Their faces were inches away. To everyone else in the room they looked pretty intimate.

"I've been around," Quinn said coyly.

"You weren't avoiding me, were you?" Sam asked. He looked concerned.

Quinn shook her head. "Why would I avoid you?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. We hardly talked this weekend and when I asked you about what had happened on Friday you said you had to go and hung up."

Quinn felt a pang of guilt for ignoring Sam over the weekend. She just wasn't ready to talk to him. After everything that happened on Friday, he was the last person she wanted to talk to. He always worried about her and she knew he wouldn't stop until he got something out of her. She felt it was better if she avoided him. But now she couldn't just ignore him. She was going to have to tell him something.

"We'll talk about it later, ok?" Quinn said softly. Sam gave her a half smile and closed the distance between them to give her one last kiss before settling down beside her.

"Sam, Quinn, that's enough," Mr. Schuester called out as he entered the room.

Both Quinn and Sam snapped their heads towards the front of the class. Sam smiled bashfully at Mr. Schue and pulled away. Quinn, on the other hand, paid no attention to Mr. Schue. Instead, her eyes locked with the tiny brunette who stood beside him. Quinn's face flushed in embarrassment. She tried to tear her eyes away but she couldn't. There was a certain emotion expressed in Rachel's eyes that had gotten her attention. She couldn't quite identify it.

"Okay guys, let's settle down. Rachel, Kurt, take your seats please," Mr. Schue ordered.

Rachel broke eye contact with Quinn and took her usual seat between Puck and Kurt. Quinn's eyes followed the tiny brunette to her seat. She rolled her eyes when Puck put his arm around the girl's shoulder.

Mr. Schuester clapped, grabbing everyone's attention including Quinn's. It was time for Mr. Schuester's weekly assignment. Last week they didn't have one so Quinn knew for sure they were going to have one this week. She was hoping it wasn't anything stupid like rehabilitating songs with bad reputations. _That was a complete disaster._

"Alright, let's get down to business guys. Today I'll be giving you the first glee assignment of the year. Last week I figured I'd let you guys get back into the hang of things by letting you reacquaint yourself with each other and warm up your voices. But this week I'm hoping you'll come back full force," the teacher spoke.

"Now," he said as he grabbed a dry erase marker, "I thought a lot about the songs we sing in here this past weekend and I noticed that most of them are classic rock and pop songs. I was so inspired by Rachel's audition last week that I decided to push you guys a little out of your comfort zones this week," Mr. Schue smirked. He walked up to the white board and wrote out the word 'Broadway' in big capital letters.

Two squeals were heard throughout the room. Kurt and Rachel were jumping up in down in their seats like a pair of kindergarteners. Quinn looked down at where the flamboyant pair sat and smirked.

"Oh my god, finally! I've been waiting for an assignment like this for two years," Kurt gushed. Rachel squealed.

Mr. Schue turned back to his students. "This week you guys will pick a song from any Broadway musical and perform it in front of the class."

All the guys in the class, excluding Kurt, groaned. Even some of the girls had let out a sigh of discontent. The glee club was known to sings songs from different genres, but show tunes weren't very popular within the group. Before Rachel had come along only Kurt expressed interest in Broadway and musicals.

"You can't be serious, Mr. Schue. None of us like that crap," Santana complained. Several of the kids agreed. The only students in the class that didn't seem to have a problem with the assignment were Rachel, Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, and Quinn. The rest of the group wore expressions of displeasure.

"Yeah Mr. Schue, Broadway is kinda gay," Finn griped.

Rachel glared at Finn. She knew Broadway was always stereotyped as being 'gay' but she hated how people were so ignorant towards theatre. There were plenty of straight Broadway actors. Her mother knew several of them. _She_ even knew them. She had grown up surrounded by Broadway. It was anything but 'gay'. It was amazing and artistic. She couldn't let Finn taint it by calling it 'gay'.

"How insensitive of you to say that, Finn," Rachel stood from her seat. Everybody turned to look at her, including Finn who stared at her with wide eyes. He looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"What?" Finn stammered.

"Broadway is not 'gay.' It's an art. Just like movies and sports. You're in football, many would consider that an art. How would you feel if I said football was 'gay'? The game consists of men playing in tights and tackling each other. I'm sorry, but to me that is a lot more 'gay' than talented men and women singing about such things as love and loss."

Finn blushed in embarrassment while Rachel's flushed with anger. It was clear to her how narrow-minded Finn was. Kurt was his stepbrother and he was gay. She could only imagine the things Finn thought about him.

Everybody else in the room was sniggering at the dumb expression on Finn's face. He had been thoroughly scolded by his crush. It was no secret that he had a bit of a crush on the girl. The stupid grins and constipated smirks were all lame attempts to seem cool but nobody ever dared tell him that he looked like a douche.

"Furthermore," Rachel continued, "Broadway musicals aren't always about love. If it's the subject of love that you find off-putting then maybe you should do some research. There are plenty of Broadway musicals that don't revolve around romance."

In the back of the choir room Quinn smiled at the scene. She too had been slightly annoyed by Finn's discriminating comment. Finn had always been a very vapid person. It was the reason why she dumped him sophomore year. Not only was he tactless, but he was a complete idiot.

Finn gulped and put his head down. Feeling accomplished, Rachel sat back down in her seat while everybody else continued to snicker. Even those who had been opposed to the Broadway idea were impressed with the tiny brunette.

"Okay guys pay attention," Mr. Schuester called, "Like Rachel explained, Broadway is more than just romance and show tunes. There are some incredible rock musicals that you guys might like. I suggest you all do some research."

The entire glee session was spent discussing the current musicals that were being performed on Broadway. Rachel was an expert on the subject since she had been living in New York just two weeks ago. She shared a lot of information with the class. Even Mr. Schuester was impressed by how well informed Rachel was on the subject. If he only knew Rachel was the daughter of a very famous Broadway actress.

When the period came to a close, everybody rushed out of the class. The only four people that were left behind were Kurt, Rachel, Quinn and Sam. The blonde wanted to make sure the brunette would make it safely to her car so she was taking her time walking out of the room with Sam. When Rachel and Kurt exited the room the two blondes followed.

"Do you want me to walk you to the locker room?" Sam asked Quinn. It was a routine for him to walk his girlfriend to the Cheerios locker room and then rush to the boy's locker to change for football practice. On Friday Quinn had ran away so he didn't get a chance to walk her. He was hoping the head cheerleader was still okay with letting him escort her to the locker room. He loved spending time with her and lately he felt like they were spending too much time apart.

Quinn had her eyes locked on the back of Rachel's head as they walked down the hall. She knew Kurt walked Rachel out to her car before making his way to the football field where he would watch the Cheerios and football team practice.

"Quinn?"

The blonde tore her eyes away from the brunette and looked up at Sam. "Huh?"

"I was asking if you wanted me to walk you to the locker room. We're kind of walking the wrong way," Sam said shyly.

"Oh," Quinn sounded, "Um, I have to stop by Ms. Pillsbury's office real quick. Why don't we just meet after practice?"

Sam smiled sadly, "Ok."

Quinn noticed how visibly upset Sam was so she tip-toed and kissed the big lipped boy. He pulled away with a smile and agreed to see her after practice.

After Sam practically skipped away towards the boy's locker room, Quinn quickly walked in the opposite direction to catch up with Kurt and Rachel. Once she was a couple feet behind them she kept her distance. The pair was happily chatting about something. The blonde was glad neither Kurt nor Rachel had glanced back.

Quinn stood by the entrance doors of McKinley as she watched Kurt walk Rachel to her car. After the two shared a hug Rachel got into her Mini Cooper and drove away. When the blonde noticed Kurt was walking back to the building she took off to the Cheerios' locker room. She needed to get dressed in her practice uniform and run out onto the field before Sue. The woman had no qualms about making her star Cheerio do extra suicides if she was late. Quinn wasn't quite up to doing extra drills so she ran to the locker rooms.

Santana questioned her when she arrived late but Quinn waved her off and told her she had been talking to Ms. Pillsbury about something. The Latina didn't believe her but she let it go. Her friend was obviously hiding something from her but she didn't want to push… yet.

Quinn was the last one out of the locker room but luckily for her Sue was still caught up in her office. When she made it out to the field the girls were already stretching. She was glad she didn't have to yell at anybody today because she didn't feel like wasting her energy on them. She just wanted practice to go off without a hitch.

The blonde was in the middle of her stretches when she heard someone call out her name. When she turned around she was surprised to find Kurt standing twenty feet away with his hands on his hips looking sassier than ever. She barked at the Cheerios to continue their stretches as she jogged over to the porcelain skinned boy.

"Are you here to yell at me again?" Quinn said coolly. She didn't mean to sound so cold but she still couldn't forget how he had spoken to her last week. She was still feeling dejected from their previous confrontation.

Kurt shook his head. "No, I actually came to thank you for putting that ban on Rachel."

Quinn remained aloof and shrugged. "I didn't want Coach to kick me off the Cheerios if she found out. There's no need to thank me."

"Still, I know you didn't want to do it. So thanks," he said sincerely. "But I also wanted to apologize for being a bit harsh on Friday. I was upset and I said some pretty cruel things-"

"No," Quinn interjected, "I deserved it. Don't apologize, Kurt."

Kurt nodded.

"I'm going to go back to practice," Quinn announced. It was getting a bit awkward so she excused herself.

"Wait," Kurt blurted, grabbing her arm. Quinn turned around and sighed. "What?"

"I need some info on one of your Cheerios," Kurt told her.

Quinn raised a brow. "Why do you need information on one of my Cheerios? Which one?" she asked. She was baffled by his request. Kurt usually didn't care for the Cheerios. He stayed away from them.

"Monica Juarez. She seems a bit shady," Kurt told her.

Quinn's eyes widened. Monica Juarez was the only Cheerio she couldn't stand. Ever since she got to McKinley she'd been trying to take over Quinn's spot as head Cheerio. Sue had to demote Monica to the JV squad because she kept trying to push the blonde off the top of the pyramid, both literally and figuratively.

"Why do you say that? What did she do?" Quinn asked.

Kurt was glad the blonde hadn't blown him off. She sincerely seemed interested in what he had to say.

"Well first she came out of nowhere and started talking to Rachel and telling her how sorry she was on behalf of the Cheerios for all of the slushies she had to endure. Then she started flirting with her and expressing how happy she was that she could talk to her freely without pissing you off," Kurt explained.

_Flirting? _

Quinn clenched her fists. She didn't like the sound of that, at all.

"She also implied that you're a bad captain. I know you've had your antagonistic moments, but I also know what a great captain you are. Sue isn't the easiest to please and so far you're the only one that has."

She was furious now. Her jaw was clenched and she was pretty sure her face was flushed with anger.

"Thanks for telling me this, Kurt. I'll handle it," the cheerleader said through clenched teeth.

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Kurt asked anxiously. He could tell the blonde was furious. He didn't want to be responsible for Monica showing up in a ditch somewhere. The Cheerios were like the mafia, you piss them off severely and you end up at the bottom of the lake with cement shoes, figuratively speaking.

"I'm just going to have a talk with her. I told both squads to stay away from Berry and she obviously didn't listen. Don't worry about it Kurt, I'll handle it," Quinn gave him a fake smile.

Kurt didn't want to argue with the blonde so he nodded and slowly walked away. When he looked over his shoulder the head Cheerio was storming back to where the rest of her squad was. She was about to make their lives a living hell.

Quinn had no time to confront the JV captain before practice, but she sure as hell made her work hard. Both squads were completely exhausted by the middle of practice. Quinn was pissed and she was making the girls work hard because of it.

"What the fuck is wrong with you," Santana hissed as she sprinted beside the blonde. They were running suicides and Quinn decided to join them. She needed to work off her anger.

"Don't talk or else I'll double your suicides," was Quinn's response.

After the suicides most of the girls were already getting ready to quit. But Quinn still had to teach the girls the routine for Friday night's game so they couldn't hit the showers.

Quinn glared at Monica the entire time she choreographed the routine. She was on the other side of the field teaching her squad their routine for half-time. Varsity and JV only performed together during competitions and homecoming. For once, Quinn wished she could have her on varsity so she could put her at the bottom of the pyramid.

By the end of practice the Cheerios had the routine down. It was still pretty rough but they had the entire week to perfect it. When Sue dismissed the girls from practice, all but one ran to the locker rooms to shower. Quinn had other plans.

She caught up to Monica, who was one of the last ones to go into the locker room, and grabbed her by the arm. The girl was caught off guard and almost fell when Quinn dragged her out.

"What the hell, Fabray?" the girl glared at the blonde.

"What's this I hear about you talking to Berry? Did I not make my orders clear?" Quinn hissed.

"You said we couldn't slushie her. I didn't hear you say anything about not talking to her," the brunette shot back.

"It was implied, Juarez. I thought you'd be smart enough to comprehend," Quinn retorted.

"What I understood was that we were not to throw slushies in her face. You didn't say anything about dating her," Monica responded.

Quinn's eyes widened. She took a step back and looked at the Latina. _She's gay?_

"Don't look at me like that, Fabray. Yes, I like girls. Don't act like you have a problem with it. We all know who your best friends are."

Quinn glared. She knew Monica was referring to Santana and Brittany. They weren't exactly in the closet.

"I still don't see what you're doing with Berry, she's straight. You're wasting your time," the blonde said matter-of-factly.

The tall brunette smirked. "I don't think so. You see, I have a killer gaydar and my gaydar tells me that Rachel isn't as straight as everybody thinks she is. In fact, she flirted with me during lunch today," she simpered.

Quinn shook her head. "No, she's not gay," she argued. She felt a tingling in her stomach that she had never felt before. She didn't know what it was but she figured it wasn't good.

"I think she is. Even ask your friends. I'm sure they think so too," Monica insisted. "Now let go of me so I can shower and go home," she said smugly.

Quinn let the girl go. She waited for Monica to go into the locker room before punching the wall in frustration.

"Ah, fuck!" she yelped. She had punched it pretty hard. She was just so pissed. There was no way Rachel was into Monica. She was a complete bitch.

_Yeah, so are you_, she told herself.

After taking a minute to cool down Quinn marched into the locker room and showered. Most of the girls were already out except for Santana and Brittany. They always waited for the blonde.

"So can you tell us why you were acting like a fucking Nazi today? What the hell has you so pissed?" Santana asked as Quinn changed into her clothes.

"Juarez pissed me off. It's nothing," Quinn grumbled. Just saying her name made her angry. _  
_

"Juarez? You mean JV captain Juarez?" Santana asked.

Quinn nodded.

"Ew, I don't like her even though she's kinda hot." Brittany frowned. Quinn turned around and looked at the blonde with bewilderment. Brittany didn't dislike anyone.

"Me either, she's a fucking creep," Santana chimed. "She totally tried to have a threesome with me and Britts at one of Puckerman's parties."

"Wait, so you two knew she was gay?" Quinn asked, surprised. _Does everybody know?_

Brittany and Santana nodded in unison. "Of course, she's gayer than me and Britt combined. If she wasn't in the Cheerios I bet you she'd be wearing vests and fedoras to school," the Latina snickered.

"Yeah and ride a unicorn," Brittany added.

Quinn gaped at her two best friends like they'd grown two heads. Was she really that unaware of what was going on around her? Santana and Brittany always made it obvious that they were into each other so it wasn't a big surprise when they came out to her. Monica on the other hand had completely surprised her. She never gave Quinn that vibe. Now she didn't know what to think about everybody else. If Monica was gay then it was a big possibility that there were others at school besides Santana, Brittany, and Kurt who were gay―including Rachel.

"You look surprised. Didn't you know she played for team gay?" Santana asked the blonde.

"No," Quinn said, trying to stay indifferent. She didn't know why this was bothering her so much. Who cared if Monica was gay? She just didn't want her messing with Rachel. It was her job to look after her. _Her bodyguard._

"Wow, Q, your gaydar sucks," the Latina snickered.

Quinn turned to her and narrowed her eyes. "It's not my fault I don't know how to tell the gay from the straight. You and Britt were always obvious and Kurt couldn't hide his sexuality even if he wanted to."

"Q, I guarantee you that at least a quarter of this school is gay. They're just all in the closet because we live in this stupid town with dumb fucks like Azimio and Karofsky who slushie any homo in sight."

"Yeah, people are mean to people like us. The only reason why me and San don't get slushied is because we're awesome and we're on the Cheerios," Brittany added.

Quinn nodded. She understood why there weren't many teen gays out at McKinley. The jocks would make their lives hell. Only the really popular kids could get away with it. Santana and Brittany had yet to come across someone who teased them for being gay. If it was anybody else they'd be tormented.

The three girls exited the locker rooms together. Quinn was still a bit surprised by the whole 'Monica crushing on Rachel' thing that she forgot she was supposed to meet Sam after practice. She internally groaned when she saw him standing next to Santana's red BMW in the parking lot.

"What's guppy doing standing by my ride?" the Latina raised a brow. The three girls were slowly making their way towards the car.

"He wants to talk," Quinn mumbled. She really wasn't looking forward to it. Sam was the one person who always seemed to get her to open up. It was already hard enough not to tell Santana about the deal she made with Mr. Berry, she didn't know if she'd be able to keep it from Sam too.

"So you're going to ride with him?" Santana asked.

Quinn nodded.

Sam smiled when the three girls walked up to the car. He greeted Quinn's best friends and like always Santana spit back an insult about his lips and Brittany smiled back and called him a 'fish-puppy' because that's what guppies were, according to her.

After the Latina and her girlfriend left Quinn and Sam to talk, the two of them headed towards the football stadium to sit in the bleachers. The blonde didn't feel like having this kind of conversation in Sam's truck.

"So," Sam started, "you wanna tell me what's wrong? I'm not stupid, you know. I know something's wrong."

Quinn turned to Sam. "I never said you were stupid," she told him.

"I know, but sometimes I feel like you think I don't notice stuff. I do notice. I notice a lot of things. Like how upset you were on Friday. I know it had nothing to do with what Santana said."

Quinn sighed. She knew Sam was observant, but not that observant. He obviously knew more.

"It wasn't because of Santana," she admitted. "It was because of something else, something that happened during lunch."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "What happened during lunch?"

Quinn looked up at Sam. His big puppy dog eyes were really making it hard for her to lie to him. He was always so honest with her and true. If there was one person in the world that she could trust, it was Sam Evans.

"Kurt confronted me," she confessed.

Sam's furrowed his brows. "Confronted you? Confronted you about what?"

Quinn lowered her head. She was ashamed, ashamed of what she had done in the past to provoke Kurt―one of the nicest boys she's ever known—to yell at her and make her feel like the worst person in the world.

"He wanted me to stop slushing Rachel. He told me…," she paused, "he told me things that made me realize how bad of a person I really am," she whispered somberly.

"Oh," Sam said softly. He knew Quinn did things like order slushies on people, but he also knew she was a good person on the inside. He didn't quite agree with some of her tactics of intimidation but he loved her enough to look past it.

"So you think I'm a bad person, too?" Quinn looked at the boy. Her eyes were welling up with tears.

Sam shook his head, "No, I don't. I think you've done some pretty crappy stuff, but I don't think you're a bad person. You're awesome. You're funny and smart and cute," he smiled, "and I'm completely in love with you. We all make mistakes."

Quinn gave Sam a watery smile. He always knew what to say to make her feel better.

"Thanks, Sam," she said in a broken voice, "but it doesn't take way from the fact that I made Rachel's first week at school a living hell. I did it out of envy and bitterness."

Sam nodded but was quick to defend her, "Yeah, but you also called off all the Cheerios. I heard from the guys that you put out a ban on Rachel. You did something good. You're regretting it and that means you care. It means you're a good person-."

"Yeah but I still have all these stupid feelings!" she interjected. "I'm still envious. I'm still bitter. When I see her I…," she paused, "I get this feeling deep in my gut."

Sam looked at Quinn with understanding. He knew what jealousy felt like. He had been in love with Quinn before they had even gotten together and he'd seen her flirt with other guys.

"I know how it feels to be jealous of somebody," Sam confessed. Quinn knew what he was referring to so she let him continue. "But you have absolutely nothing to be jealous of."

_That's not true,_ Quinn thought. Rachel was beautiful, sweet, talented, and rich; what wasn't there to be jealous about? Her smile was radiant and contagious, her laugh was angelic, her eyes were big and mesmerizing, and her voice… her voice was magical. Any little thing that Rachel did caused Quinn to feel something inside. Sometimes it was jealousy and other times it was something different. It was suffocating but addicting. It took her breath away sometimes. But most of all it scared the shit out of her.

"What are you thinking?" Sam asked. Quinn seemed to be in a state of thought and he was wondering what she was thinking about that had her so spaced out.

The blonde looked up at her boyfriend and gave him a small smile. "I was just thinking how great of a boyfriend you are."

She didn't really want to discuss Rachel any longer. She just wanted to go home, do her homework, and go to sleep. She also had to think of a song to perform for her glee assignment. She wasn't really into Broadway but she'd seen some movie adaptions.

Sam wrapped his arms around Quinn and gave her a chaste kiss on her lips. After they pulled away they walked to Sam's truck hand-in-hand and left the school.

"You know, I'm kinda happy you're not having Rachel slushied anymore," Sam commented as he drove Quinn home.

The blonde cheerleader turned to him and narrowed her eyes. "And why is that?" she asked.

"Because now we can go on double dates with Puck and Rachel without having to worry about it getting awkward," Sam chuckled.

Quinn's eyes widened. "What?" she hissed. _What the hell is he talking about?_

"Puck and Rachel are dating so Puck thought it was cool if we went out on a double date since we're buds. I think it's awesome," Sam said excitedly.

"B-But… they're dating? They're not dating," Quinn argued. She swore on her life that Rachel and Puck were not dating. She'd know. She knew everything. Yeah the two would cuddle during lunch sometimes and they talked a lot during glee, but they weren't dating. Rachel had only been there for a week. She didn't know Puck enough to date him.

"Well not right now, but he's totally planning to ask her out this week. He was going to do it today but after Mr. Schue's assignment he thought it was cooler if he sang to her and then asked her out. He wants to take her out Friday after that game. "

Quinn swallowed hard. The thought of Rachel and Puck potentially dating wasn't sitting very well with her. Puck was an absolute sleaze. He was a manwhore. Mr. Berry never told her anything about keeping Rachel away from boys but she was pretty sure it was implied. He said he didn't want his daughter to get hurt and it was her job to prevent it. If Rachel went out with Puck she was going to get hurt. Quinn was going to have to stop it somehow.

The next day at school Quinn trailed the tiny brunette to every class just like she had done the day before. She was even stealthier this time. After avoiding the tiny brunette's gaze in first period, she followed her to her second class and then third and fourth. But it was during lunch that the tiny brunette caught the blonde in the hallway.

"Hey Quinn," Rachel called out excitedly.

Rachel wanted to thank the blonde for calling off her Cheerios and Quinn seemed to have been MIA since the morning so she never got a chance to do it. No matter where the tiny brunette looked, she couldn't find her. She tried getting her attention in first period but the blonde never looked her way even once. She'd been too preoccupied conversing with Santana to even notice her. Rachel felt a pang of hurt but she knew it was ridiculous to feel offended when they weren't even friends. Still, Rachel was hoping they would be one day.

_Fuck,_ Quinn panicked when she saw Rachel walking towards her with that radiant smile on her face. Her stomach twisted and Cheerio put on a face of indifference like always.

"Hi Berry," Quinn rasped out, her throat felt dry all of a sudden.

Rachel frowned. "Are you sick?" she asked. She didn't like the way Quinn's voice sounded. It was a bit scratchy.

The blonde shook her head. "No," she said, clearing out her throat, "my throat's just a little dry."

"Oh," Rachel exclaimed, reaching into her book bag, "here then, drink this." Rachel handed Quinn a bottle of water.

"No thanks," Quinn declined politely. She didn't want to take Rachel's water. The girl was too damn nice.

"I insist, please," the tiny brunette pleaded, reaching out one more time to hand Quinn the bottle.

The blonde made the mistake of looking into Rachel's pleading eyes. After a second of looking into them she gave in. It was as if Rachel had eyes of some cute furry creature. She couldn't help but feel a bit irritated with herself for giving in so easily.

"Um… thanks," Quinn took the bottle. She didn't miss the warm feeling on her hand as it brushed up against Rachel's.

"I promise you it's unopened so you don't have to worry about my germs or anything like that. But even if I had taken a drink from it, I assure you it'd have no germs. I take very good care of myself. I take the required amount of vitamins daily and sometimes I take a little extra. I like to stay in tip top shape. My health is very important to me," Rachel rambled.

Quinn stared at Rachel with her eyebrows raised and an amused expression on her face. This girl was too much.

"It's ok, Berry. I'm not a germaphobe or anything. You'd be surprised how many things I share with Britt and Santana," Quinn chuckled.

Rachel raised a brow and smirked. Quinn realized just how that last statement sounded and felt like face palming herself in front of the brunette.

"I did not mean it like _that_. We share water bottles sometimes at practice," she explained.

Rachel giggled and made Quinn's stomach twist at the same time. Once the brunette stop laughing, she just stared up at the blonde. Quinn's heart started racing when Rachel's eyes locked on to hers. Those brown orbs of hers were so captivating. She'd never seen such pretty brown eyes before.

"Thank you," Rachel said softly with a smile.

"For what?" Quinn breathed out. It was as if she'd been holding her breath.

"For stopping the slushies," Rachel answered.

Quinn shook her head. "No, don't. It was my fault. There's no need for you to thank me for stopping something I should have never started in the first place," she told her.

Quinn felt a whole lot better after admitting her mistake to Rachel. The tiny brunette in return smiled shyly at the blonde and looked up at her between thick eyelashes. She couldn't imagine the brunette being more adorable.

_Ugh, damn you Rachel Berry._

"I uh… I owe you an apology, actually," the blonde swallowed. She had talked about it with Sam the night before and he thought it was best if she apologized to the brunette so she could feel much better about herself and maybe it'd help the jealousy go away. Quinn doubted it was going to make the jealousy go away but she was going to do it so she could slowly get more acquainted with the brunette. Maybe one day she wouldn't have to sneak around as she trailed her to her classes but actually walk with her.

"After what happened Friday I realized that you didn't deserve what I was doing to you. If the roles were reversed I would have never given you a ride home or invited you into my home. So I'm sorry," Quinn said just above a whisper. She didn't want anybody else around to hear her. She rarely apologized to anybody.

Before Quinn realized what was happening the tiny girl threw her arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. The blonde stood completely frozen. She didn't know what to do. Her body was reacting in such an odd way that it was scaring her. When she felt Rachel squeeze her, she felt like her heart had been squeezed.

"I forgive you, Quinn," Rachel murmured. Her mouth was so close to Quinn's ear that the blonde was able to feel Rachel's warm breath on her skin.

Quinn didn't know how to respond. Her arms were still at her sides and her body stood still. After a second, she finally lifted her arms and gave Rachel an awkward pat on her back. Eventually Rachel pulled away causing disappointment. Quinn surprisingly missed the brunette's warmth.

"Quinn I'm happy you decided not to antagonize me anymore. To tell you the truth, the first time I met you I hoped we would become friends," Rachel said timidly, "I knew it wasn't much of a possibility because of how pretty and popular you were. But now I can't help but wonder if it truly is a possibility."

Quinn looked at Rachel. She looked so shy and genuine. It made the blonde smile. She wasn't smiling because Rachel was practically begging her to be her friend, but because Rachel was being sincere. She wasn't like the other students at McKinley that wanted to associate themselves with her because of her status. Rachel truly just wanted to be her friend. She wasn't expecting popularity out of it. She just wanted to be there for her. Not only that, but she had called Quinn pretty.

"Me too, Berry, me too," Quinn gave her a small smile.

Rachel was a bit surprised by Quinn's answer. A big smile broke out on her face causing Quinn to widen her smile. The brunette's smile was so contagious she just couldn't help it.

"So… See you in glee?" Rachel asked. She was so nervous. Quinn had sort of just agreed to be her friend. She knew she had to take things slowly since Quinn seemed like a very slow paced kind of girl so she didn't want to push her.

Quinn nodded, "Yeah, see you in glee."

Both girls gave each other small smiles and walked in opposite directions.

When it was time for glee club, both the blonde and brunette hurried to class. Rachel practically dragged Kurt to the classroom and Quinn was right behind her—unknowingly, of course. It was the second day of the Broadway assignment and some of the glee members already had songs picked out.

The first member to perform was Mercedes. She had picked "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. It turned out fantastic. It even had Rachel in tears. She praised Mercedes' voice and even went on to suggest they perform a duet soon. Mercedes was hesitant but eventually agreed. Rachel was looking forward to it.

The second member to perform was Mike, who had shocked everybody by performing "Cool" from the Broadway musical West Side Story. His dance moves were what impressed the group the most but his performance was good overall.

The last performer had been the most unexpected. Everybody thought the performances had ended with Mike, but when Puck stood up with his guitar in hand they knew it wasn't over.

"Mr. Schue, is it cool if I perform a song?" Puck asked Mr. Schuester.

"Uh… yeah Puck, go ahead," Mr. Schuester gave the okay. Everyone in the room had their eyes on Puck, including Rachel and Quinn.

Puck grabbed a stool from the side and put it right in the middle of the class. Everyone watched as he sat down and grabbed his guitar. The classroom was silent; they were all waiting for him to speak.

"I'm gonna sing "Waiting For A Girl Like You". It's by Foreigner but it's also in that musical Rock of Ages," Puck announced to the class.

Quinn swallowed hard. This was what Sam had been talking about the day before. Puck was going to sing to Rachel and then ask her out.

The blonde looked over at the brunette who had a big smile on her face. It was unclear whether Rachel knew the song was going to be for her or not but the brunette was happy nonetheless.

When Puck started playing everyone in the room gave him their attention.

_So long__  
__I've been looking too hard, I've waiting too long__  
__Sometimes I don't know what I will find__  
__I only know it's a matter of time__  
__When you love someone__  
__When you love someone_

_It feels so right, so warm and true_  
_I need to know if you feel it too_

_Maybe I'm wrong__  
__Won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong?__  
__This heart of mine has been hurt before__  
__This time I wanna be sure_

During the middle of the performance Puck stood from his seat and made his way over to Rachel. Everybody was staring at the two of them. Some were staring at Puck and others at Rachel. Finn was sitting two chairs away from the tiny brunette glaring at Puck.

Quinn felt uneasy the entire time. She could see the wide smile on the brunette's face and the faint blush on her cheeks.

_I've been waiting for a girl like you__  
__To come into my life__  
__I've been waiting for a girl like you__  
__A love that will survive__  
__I've been waiting for someone new__  
__To make me feel alive__  
__Yeah, waiting for a girl like you__  
__To come into my life_

When Puck finished the classroom was silent. Everyone's eyes were still on the pair.

_This is it_, Quinn thought. The look on Puck's face said it all. He was going to ask Rachel out on a date in front of the entire glee club. It wasn't fair. He was putting pressure on her to say yes.

"Rachel, I know you've only known me for like a week and everybody tells you that I'm not a good guy, but I'm asking you to give me a chance to prove them wrong. Will you go out with me this Friday?" Puck asked.

Rachel sat completely still in her chair. She was stunned. She was so stunned she was speechless. Nobody had ever serenaded her before. Noah had definitely surprised her. She knew he didn't have a great reputation but she also knew he was a great guy. He was always so gentle with her. Every embrace they shared was so tender and sweet. She knew he liked her. It was obvious since the day they met. But even though they shared such loving embraces it never came off as romantic. The connection she had with Noah was pure friendship. She didn't want to break his heart and say no, especially in front of everybody in glee. So she was going to give him a chance. And hopefully she wouldn't regret it.

"Yes," Rachel smiled shyly. "I will go out with you."

* * *

**Review! :) Please?**


	13. Chapter 13

"Kurt, everybody keeps staring at me," Rachel whispered as she walked into the choir room with Kurt by her side. Fortunately, the room was empty. She was tired of all stares and whispers she had been getting all week.

Ever since Puck had asked her out on a date the whole school had been talking about the two, but more specifically, Rachel. Everybody wanted to know how she had gotten Puck to ask her out. Some people were convinced he only wanted her because of her money, and others thought he was out to just hit it and quit it. Nobody ever guessed that he wanted to date her because he actually liked her.

"I told you already. It's because you're going out with Puck tonight. Puck doesn't ask _anyone _out on dates. You're the first girl he's ever asked out," he explained as they sat down on the risers.

"That's silly," Rachel told him. "It's just a date. It's not like we're getting married."

"You might as well be." Kurt laughed dryly, "Puck doesn't date."

Rachel shook her head. "Noah and I are just friends. I'm only doing this because he asked for a chance. Everyone deserves a chance, Kurt. He's a really great guy, but I already told you that my feelings towards him are strictly platonic."

"You're leading him on, Rachel." Kurt stated matter-of-factly.

The brunette sighed. "I know, I know. But I won't lead him on anymore. After our date I'll tell him that I think it's better if we're just friends. I'm just afraid he won't want to be friends. He's such a lovely guy. I don't want to lose him."

Kurt rubbed Rachel's back comfortingly. He knew she was scared of losing Puck as a friend. Kurt didn't really like Puck all that much but he had to admit that the mohawked boy made Rachel somewhat happy when he was around. He did see a connection between the two, but it wasn't anything romantic. It was unfortunate that Puck didn't see it that way. Because Kurt knew it was going to kill Rachel to tell him they could only be friends.

"If Puck refuses to be friends with you then he's an idiot. But if he really does like you and care for you, then he'll have you any way he can, even if that means just being friends. So don't worry about it, Rach. Everything will be fine," Kurt hugged the brunette.

"Thanks Kurt, I really needed some reassurance," Rachel laid her head on his shoulder. She really just wanted the day to end already. She didn't think saying yes to Noah would cause so much buzz around school. It was really stressing.

"No problem. I'm just glad you're not actually interested in dating Puckerman. You can do so much better," Kurt remarked.

Rachel rolled her eyes..

"So do you know where he's taking you? God, I hope it's some place respectable," the boy wondered.

Rachel shook her head. "No, he hasn't told me anything. But I'm guessing somewhere here in Lima since he has a football game tonight. I was thinking of going for support. You mind coming with me?" she asked. The brunette had never attended a high school football game in her life and was feeling kind of nervous about it. She didn't even know the rules.

Kurt looked surprised. He never imagined Rachel going to a football game. "I wouldn't mind at all," he smiled. "I actually have to be there for Finn. My dad's making me go even though he's a benchwarmer."

"Perfect! We should go together. Do you think you can come over to my house before the game and help me get dressed for my date? Noah said we would be leaving right after and I need a friend's opinion on my wardrobe. This is my first date ever and I don't have Blaine here to tell me what to wear," Rachel rambled.

Kurt stared at the tiny girl with wide eyes. "You want me to go over to your house?"

"Yes, of course," she giggled. "Why are you so surprised? It's not like I wasn't going to invite you in the near future."

"It's just that I've heard so many things about your house. It's supposed to be like some kind of fortress."

Rachel laughed. "Yeah, it's pretty big and has lots of security but it's not like I'm inviting some stranger. You're my friend, Kurt. I trust you," she said sweetly.

Kurt was so touched that he wrapped the tiny girl in a hug. She giggled and hugged him back with just as much emotion.

"You have no idea how excited I am for tonight, now," Kurt gushed as he pulled away. He was finally going to be able to see Rachel's amazing wardrobe as a whole and help her pick out an outfit for her date. He was going to make her look so good all the girls at the football game were going to be dying of envy.

"I am too! You're finally going to meet my dad. He's going to be so happy. He wants to meet all of my friends. He's already met Quinn so-"

"Wait, what?" Kurt interjected. He turned his body so he was facing Rachel. "What do you mean he's met Quinn?"

Rachel bit her lip nervously. She had forgotten to mention it to Kurt that the blonde had gone over to her house the past weekend.

"Well I kind of gave her a ride home Friday after Santana left her stranded. She left her backpack in my car so she went over to pick it up. My dad came home while she was there and the two met. Nothing else happened."

"Was she at least cordial?" he asked, curious. Friday had been the day he had explicitly told Quinn to back off. He imagined it was the reason why she had been in such a foul mood that afternoon.

Rachel nodded. "She was great. It was a little weird to have her there because we aren't exactly friends, but she didn't act hostile towards me at all. It was nice." She smiled.

Kurt looked at her skeptically. Rachel seemed so happy about Quinn's visit. It was almost as if she had completely forgotten that the blonde had her slushied her entire first week of school. He didn't trust Quinn. Not even after she agreed to stop slushing Rachel.

"Just be careful, Rachel. They don't call her the ice queen for nothing around here," he commented.

Rachel frowned. "That isn't very nice. Quinn's a good person. She just doesn't like showing it. But I know that deep down inside Quinn is a lovely person. Nobody that beautiful can be so ugly on the inside."

Kurt raised a brow. Was Rachel really serious? Quinn had tormented her for days and now she was defending her?

"Don't look at me like that," the brunette frowned. Kurt scoffed. "I know what she did to me was terrible—and it _was_ terrible," she emphasized, "but there's something about Quinn that just makes me…" she paused for a second, not knowing how to explain to him that what she felt was something she couldn't put in words. It was this need to know her. But it was more intense than just a need. It was like she was meant to know her.

Kurt just stared at Rachel waiting for her to continue. She looked like she was in another world lost in her thoughts. He was growing very impatient.

"Makes you what!?" he shouted, breaking Rachel out of her thoughts.

The brunette had gotten sidetracked for a moment thinking of Quinn and how they had interacted last Friday.

"I just want to get to know her better, that's all," Rachel said after thinking it over. If she had told Kurt what she was really thinking then the boy was surely going to think she was nuts—or obsessed.

Kurt really didn't know how to respond to that, so he didn't. The bell had rang and everybody started filing into the choir room so he thought it was best if they talked about it at a later time, but definitely soon. He was not going to forget about this.

He made sure to look out for Quinn when she arrived. Naturally, Quinn and Sam were one of the last ones to walk into class. He observed Rachel and watched as she gazed at the blonde. There was a look in the brunette's eyes that he couldn't really figure out.

One thing he did know, though, was that the head Cheerio was not in a good mood. He was pretty sure Rachel had noticed which could've been one of the reasons why she was looking at her so oddly. The blonde looked really irritated.

Mr. Schue still hadn't arrived so everybody was up and about talking to each other. Of course Kurt wasn't doing much talking as he was observing both Quinn and Rachel. The blonde seemed to stay seated and glare straight ahead while Rachel talked to Puckerman who was sitting on the other side of her. He couldn't help but roll his eyes.

When he turned back to look at Quinn again he noticed she was scowling in his direction. For a second he was afraid that she had caught him staring at her but then he realized that she wasn't glaring at him, but past him. She was glaring at Puck and Rachel.

_Hmm… that's interesting_, he thought as he watched the blonde stare daggers at the pair. She looked so tense and upset. He was starting to think that maybe Quinn was jealous. She and Puckerman had once had a thing in the past but their relationship―if you could even call it that—hadn't lasted very long. It was more of a fling and it ended pretty badly.

But she had Sam and the two of them had been together for almost a year already. She couldn't be jealous. It had to be something else.

While Kurt pondered why Quinn was giving Rachel and Puck dirty looks, everybody else was anxiously waiting for Mr. Schue to arrive. Since it was Friday it was Rachel's turn to sing and she was very excited. The assignment for the week had been Broadway and she had picked one of her favorites to sing in class. Quinn was also set to sing so the brunette was very curious to hear what Broadway song the Cheerio had come up with.

Quinn, on the other hand, was not in the mood to sing. All day she had been hearing people talk about Rachel and Puck's date. She was sick and tired of it. What was the big deal? It was just a lousy date! There was no need for it to be such big news. Puckerman was an idiot and she despised him. And Rachel… well... she was stupid. She was stupid to say yes to him.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. I was held up in the classroom by a student," Mr. Schue excused himself for his tardiness as he walked into the room.

"Sure you did, Mr. Schue. How's Ms. Pillsbury by the way? Still enjoying that afternoon delight?" Santana smirked.

Everybody in the room snickered, except for Rachel. She didn't get it.

"That's enough, Santana," Mr. Schue warned.

The Latina gave him a smirky smile and shrugged.

"Okay, so today's Friday which means today's the last day of Broadway week. Quinn, Rachel, Sam, do you guys have your songs prepared?" Mr. Schue addressed.

Rachel nodded eagerly while Quinn just shrugged and Sam gave a slight nod.

"Okay, who wants to perform first?"

Rachel's hand immediately shot up into the air. She was very eager to perform for her fellow glee mates.

Quinn wasn't surprised when Rachel raised her hand. The brunette's enthusiasm made her smile. She actually thought it was kind of cute.

"Alright Rachel, you have the floor," Mr. Schue motioned.

"Thanks, Mr. Schue," Rachel smiled and walked to the front of the class. All eyes were on her.

"I'm going to be singing 'Maybe This Time' from the Broadway classic, Cabaret," she announced.

The song started out soft and slow. It drew in everyone in the class, including Quinn. She watched as Rachel seductively moved her body to the sound of the bass and clarinet. Quinn couldn't take her eyes off of her.

_Maybe this time, I'll be lucky  
Maybe this time, he'll stay  
Maybe this time  
For the first time  
Love won't hurry away_

_He will hold me fast_  
_I'll be home at last_  
_Not a loser anymore_  
_Like the last time_  
_And the time before_

It was clear to everyone in the room that Rachel wasn't just singing a song, but she was performing it. The way she moved her hands up and down her arms and seductively looked at her audience was all an act to compliment the song. It was mesmerizing and enchanting. It pulled in everyone who was watching her.

_Everybody loves a winner  
So nobody loved me;  
'Lady Peaceful,' 'Lady Happy,'  
That's what I long to be  
All the odds are in my favor  
Something's bound to begin  
It's got to happen, happen sometime  
Maybe this time I'll win_

_Cause everybody they love a winner  
So nobody loved me;  
'Lady Peaceful,' 'Lady Happy,'  
That's what I long to be  
All the odds are in my favor  
Something's bound to begin  
It's got to happen, happen sometime  
Maybe this time I'll win_

When the song ended, the entire glee club—including Mr. Schue―was rendered speechless by Rachel's performance. Kurt was silently weeping in his seat while the rest of the glee kids stared at the girl in awe.

"Wow," Mr. Schue was the first to speak. Never in his entire life had he heard such a beautiful rendition of "Maybe This Time". Not even Liza Minnelli's version could compare. "Rachel, that was amazing!" he exclaimed.

"Hell yeah, that was badass!" Puck spoke up as he began to clap.

Everyone else followed and soon the entire room was being filled with the sound of applause. Even Mercedes and Santana, who weren't Rachel's biggest fans, were clapping. Quinn was the only exception. She wasn't clapping like the others.

During Rachel's performance, the brunette had sparked a small part of Quinn that the blonde didn't even know existed.

She had felt _something. _Not jealousy, not bitterness, not fear, not anger… none of that. It was different, something way different than what she had expected.

She had felt _want_.

The blonde thought it was utterly ridiculous and stupid, and tried to push it away as fast as it came. Rachel was a girl. It was ridiculous to have a crush on her or even be attracted to her. But she couldn't push away the butterflies in her stomach, or the way her heart swelled as she gazed at the blushing brunette. She should have been disgusted or repulsed. But she wasn't. Not one bit.

_What the hell is happening to me? _She thought as she tried to catch her breath. She had never felt this way before. Not with Finn, not with Puck, not even with Sam. She thought she knew what attraction was, but apparently she was wrong.

"Quinn."

The blonde snapped out of her thoughts to look at Mr. Schue who was looking at her curiously.

"Would you like to go next?" the teacher asked.

She looked around the classroom and noticed everybody was looking at her, including Rachel.

"Sorry Mr. Schue," she said shakily, "but… I'm not feelings so good. I have to go."

The blonde quickly got up and ran out of the room like she was on fire. She heard Sam call out her name as she ran out of the classroom but ignored him. She wasn't ready to talk to him—or anybody else for that matter―so she decided to go to the nearest restroom. After making sure all the stalls were empty, she stood in front of one of the sinks and splashed water onto her face.

"This isn't happening," she told herself. Quinn was trying to calm herself down. But it was useless.

The butterflies in her stomach were something that she had never experienced before. She had heard about it from movies and read it in books but she always thought it was complete and utter bullshit. She had been with three different guys and not once had she felt any fluttering in her stomach.

"She's a girl. I can't like a girl," she continued to say as she glared at herself in the mirror.

She wasn't homophobic. Santana and Brittany were her best friends for Christ's sake. But she never imagined herself being attracted to the same sex. She always looked at girls and thought they were pretty, and in some cases, sexy. But it was normal to do that. It was in a girl's nature to check out the 'competition'. The only problem was that with Rachel she felt _something_ when she looked at her―something she didn't feel when she looked at other girls.

Quinn snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the door to the restroom open. She swiftly turned around to tell whoever it was to fuck off but when she saw it was Rachel she froze.

"Quinn? Are you ok?" the brunette asked softly as she neared. Quinn backed herself up onto the sink. Her bottom was practically sitting on its edge.

"Yeah, I'm just… I was feeling faint for a second," she stammered. Water dripped down her face and spilled onto the floor. Once she realized she must've looked like a mess she swiftly wiped her face with the back of her hand.

Rachel was quick to assist and grabbed a couple of paper towels to dry her face. When Rachel got close to Quinn, the blonde felt like she was really going to faint.

"Let me help you," Rachel said softly.

She reached up to Quinn's face and gently wiped away the droplets of water.

"Oh my god, Quinn, you're burning up!" she exclaimed. The blonde's skin felt hot to the touch. Quinn stood frozen as she watched the worried brunette wet a couple of paper towels with cold water and hold one to her forehead.

"I think we should get you to the nurse. You're shivering, that's not good," Rachel said worriedly as she patted the blonde's face with the wet paper towel. She was running the towel down her face, to her jaw, and then to her neck. Quinn swallowed hard when Rachel gently patted her neck.

"I'm fine," Quinn said with a shaky breath, "I'll cool down soon. You can go back to glee club."

Rachel shook her head. "No, I cannot just leave you like this, Quinn. Either you let me take you to the nurse or I stay here with you until you feel better. Your choice," the brunette said sternly.

Quinn thought about it for a second. Did she really want Rachel to leave?

"Okay, you can stay," she rasped.

Rachel nodded and continued to pat Quinn with wet paper towels. Quinn's skin was hot so Rachel had to keep wetting it with cold water. When the brunette leaned over to the sink she leaned against Quinn's body and felt the blonde's heartbeat. It was beating too fast. When she felt it she stood back and put her hand on the blonde's chest.

"What are you doing?" Quinn squeaked when Rachel placed her hand on her chest.

Rachel looked at Quinn with a serious expression. "I'm feeling your heart beat. It's beating really fast. It's not normal."

"Well it's not like I'm having a stroke," the blonde argued. She moved away from Rachel so the brunette wasn't touching her. It was getting to be too much.

"You might not be having a stroke but you seem to have a fever, and _that_ combined with a high heart rate can't be any good. Are you sure you don't want to go to the nurse? I'll go with you," Rachel urged her.

Quinn swallowed hard. She didn't mind being accompanied by Rachel to the nurse, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with her.

"No, I don't want to go to the nurse. I'll be fine. I'll just stay here for a while until I feel better," Quinn rambled.

"Okay fine," Rachel sighed. She put her hands on her hips and looked at Quinn. "But if you're staying, then I am too," she said as she walked up to the sink next to Quinn's and hopped up to sit on it.

The blonde just stared at Rachel as she sat there on the edge of the sink swinging her legs like a little kid. _She's so cute_. A smile tugged on her lips as she tried to keep her composure. She couldn't hold it in so she looked away and smiled.

After a moment, Quinn took a few deep breaths and regained composure. If she was going to be stuck in the restroom with Rachel Berry she was going to have to keep her cool and not smile like an idiot whenever the brunette smiled at her or did something adorable.

Once she had control over her emotions she looked back at Rachel and noticed the brunette had her phone out and she was texting somebody. The blonde glared at the phone in the tiny girl's hands.

"What are you doing?" Quinn asked. She was curious to know who she was texting. _It better not be Puck or I swear I'll throw her phone in the toilet, _Quinn thought.

Rachel looked up from her phone and smiled. "I'm texting Kurt. I'm letting him know that you're fine and to let Mr. Schue know we'll be back soon."

The blonde was a bit surprised. "Oh."

Rachel giggled. The sound made Quinn's heart swell. It was almost annoying how any little thing that came out of Rachel's mouth made the blonde's body react.

The brunette's phone vibrated and Quinn glanced at it. Kurt must have replied.

"What did he say?" Quinn asked.

Rachel looked at her phone and then turned to the blonde. "He said Sam is freaking out and wants to know where you are."

Quinn sighed. _Sam_. He was such a sweet guy. He cared for her like nobody else did. But lately she'd been feeling smothered by him. His concern for her was suffocating and it only made her feel like getting away from him.

"I'm guessing you don't want him to know?" Rachel asked after seeing Quinn's reaction.

The blonde looked up at Rachel and shook her head. She needed time away from him, especially now that she had these feelings for Rachel. She couldn't face him just yet.

Rachel didn't reply, instead she sent Kurt a text letting him know that there was nothing to be concerned about and to relay the message to Sam. After the message was sent she pocketed her cell phone and turned towards Quinn. The blonde was faced the other way and seemed to be trying to keep calm.

"Are you feeling better?" Rachel asked softly. She didn't want to push but she was concerned.

The brunette hopped off the sink she was sitting on and took a step towards the blonde. She didn't know what to do or how to make Quinn feel better but she felt the urge to go to her, to get closer.

Quinn looked up and noticed the brunette had gotten a bit closer. Her heart fluttered. Rachel was standing a little _too_ close to her.

"I'm fine… uh… I just need a little air, that's all," Quinn said as she pushed off the sink she was leaning against. She began to pace the bathroom. Rachel frowned.

"The girl's restroom isn't the best place to get air. For one, it doesn't have proper ventilation, and two―it's a restroom, it can't be sanitary," the brunette grimaced.

Quinn chuckled. She couldn't help it. The brunette was eyeing the room like it had urine stains all over the walls.

"Come on," Rachel said reaching out to grab the blonde's hand, "Let's go get some air."

Quinn didn't want to. She didn't want to leave the safety of the restroom. But then she looked down at her hand. Rachel's tiny hand was grasping hers. It was warm and it made her skin tingle. She wanted nothing more but to keep it there.

Rachel lead the blonde out of the restroom and Quinn stared at their intertwined hands as they walked down the hall, not once glancing up to see where they were going. Once they walked through some doors and she could feel the fresh air Quinn looked up to see that they were in the quad area of their school. It was completely empty as it should be since class was in session. Not even the security guards were around. It was just her and Rachel.

"See? The air out here is so much fresher, especially since its a little overcast today," Rachel smiled up at the sky with her eyes closed. Quinn thought she looked beautiful.

"Yeah, it is," the blonde responded. She stood by stiffly as Rachel just stood there smiling at the sky. She didn't know how someone could be so serene. It was one of the reasons why she was so amazed by the brunette. Rachel was so carefree.

"Thank you, Rachel. For helping me back there," Quinn spoke up again, gaining Rachel's attention. The brunette looked at her, a smile still gracing her lips.

Rachel slowly moved forward towards her. Quinn's heart had yet to slow down and only got faster as the brunette neared yet again. Once Rachel was right in front of her, she grabbed Quinn's hands. The blonde looked down at her hands as they were being held by Rachel's smaller ones. Her touch was electric and it had Quinn shivering. Suddenly the air was a bit chillier.

"Quinn, I told you that you could talk to me about anything. I know you're not the ice queen everybody else claims you are. You're a person, not a statue. I want to be your friend. You can trust me," Rachel gave her hands a squeeze.

Quinn wanted to ask Rachel why, why was she doing this? She wanted to ask the brunette why she should trust her―but she couldn't. Because the blonde _knew _she could trust her. She had absolutely no idea why, but she felt it in her gut that Rachel could be trusted. Of course, she still wanted to know why the brunette cared. Why did she care more than anybody else? Because even though Sam was her boyfriend and he seemed concerned, he wasn't the one who ran after her. It was Rachel.

"So… friends?" Rachel chuckled nervously. "You're not really saying much."

A small smile formed on Quinn's lips. There was a lot that the blonde wanted to say, a lot that she wanted to ask, but she couldn't really form words at the moment because the girl in front of her literally made her speechless. Quinn knew that this was more than just feelings. This was something way more intense. She was falling—hard.

Quinn inhaled deeply and Rachel watched intently as the blonde was about to speak.

"Rachel, I would love to be friends," the blonde exhaled with a watery smile. She didn't know why she was crying but all her emotions had seemed to attack her all at once. It was overwhelming.

Rachel was too excited to even notice Quinn's misty eyes and enveloped the blonde in a tight hug. Finally, she was friends with Quinn Fabray. She'd wanted this. She wanted to be this close. But even now as she was holding the blonde in a friendly hug, she felt like she needed more. She needed to be more than just a simple friend. She needed to be her best friend.

"I'm so happy, Quinn. For some reason, I've always felt like we were meant to be friends," Rachel confessed. She hoped the blonde wouldn't get scared but she felt like she had to say it. The connection was too strong for Quinn not to feel it.

It was then that the brunette looked into Quinn's eyes and noticed her unshed tears.

"Quinn, are you ok? Please don't cry," Rachel pleaded as she grabbed the blonde and sat her down at one of the tables in the quad.

The blonde hadn't meant for Rachel to see her teary eyed but she couldn't help it. She was so overwhelmed. Her chest felt like it was going to explode. Not to mention her head.

"What's wrong? Please tell me," the brunette hugged her. This made Quinn want to sob, but she held it in.

"Nothing, there's nothing wrong," Quinn said as she tried to collect herself, again. She took a deep breath and looked at Rachel with a small smile. "I'm just a little nervous about tonight I guess. I've been stressing all week about our half-time performance, I guess it finally got to me," she answered. It was a complete lie of course. Sure Cheerios could be stressing but she learned how to deal with it sophomore year when she became captain. What she didn't know how to deal with was the sudden realization that she was falling for a girl, said girl being Rachel freakin' Berry.

"Oh Quinn, I know exactly how you feel. I wasn't a head cheerleader per se but back in New York I participated in dance lessons, voice lessons, acting lessons, choir, and a lot of other extracurricular activities. It was so stressing. But I was always positive and I believed in myself. I believe in you. I know tonight's performance is going to be amazing and I can't wait to see it," Rachel smiled.

This time when Quinn felt the butterflies she didn't try to push them away. She could only look into the brunette's eyes and smile back. How could one girl be so wonderful? It was really surprising to Quinn how Rachel could be so charming and sweet to her after everything she put the girl through.

Quinn hadn't realized that Rachel had mentioned seeing the half-time performance so when it finally hit her she furrowed her eyebrows.

"You're going to the game?" she asked, bemused.

Rachel nodded happily. "Yes, I thought I'd go to support Noah and the rest of the boys on the football team. Noah and I are actually going on our date right after the game so it works out perfectly."

The blonde's expression turned cold. For a second, she had forgotten that Rachel and Puck were going out on date. She didn't even want to think about it. It had bothered her so much when she first found out he was going to ask her out and then again when he actually had the audacity to ask her out in front of the entire glee club. Now that she knew she had feelings for her, she wasn't happy at all. Puck did not deserve Rachel.

"Are you excited for your date?" Quinn asked, looking away. She couldn't help but sound cold. She wasn't exactly feeling warm about it.

Rachel had noticed the change in Quinn's mood and she didn't really get it. She was being cold again. The blonde wasn't particularly being cold towards her but her voice sure had an icy tone to it. It saddened her because she liked how vulnerable Quinn had been with her a moment ago. For a second, the blonde had let her in. She saw the real Quinn for a split second and it made Rachel happy that she had been able to do so. But now the blonde had her walls back up again and Rachel wondered if she'd ever get to see the real Quinn again.

The brunette tried to come up with an answer to Quinn's question. She _was_ excited for her date with Noah, but she'd be more excited if it was with someone she was romantically interested in. She was going out with Noah as a friend and nothing more.

"Well it is my first date so I can't say I'm not excited, but if I'm being honest, I'd be more excited if I was going out with a person who I was interested in more romantically than platonically," Rachel answered.

Quinn's ears perked up. "You don't like Puck?" the blonde inquired.

Rachel shook her head, "No, I do," she was quick elaborate, "I just don't like him in a romantic way. Noah and I have a strong connection, but I'm afraid it's not the romantic type. He's a really good guy and I like him a lot, but the feelings just aren't there."

Quinn nodded and lowered her head. She didn't want Rachel to see the smile on her face.

"So… why did you say yes?" the blonde asked. She couldn't help it, she was curious. If Rachel didn't like Puck that way why would she go out with him?

"Everybody deserves a chance," Rachel shrugged. It was her only reasoning for saying yes.

Quinn arched a brow and smirked. "So if some random person asked you out, you would say yes?" The blonde couldn't deny that she was imagining herself as the 'random person' in this hypothetical situation. Of course she was just teasing the brunette so she wasn't exactly expecting an answer.

The brunette opened her mouth to answer but then closed it. Was Quinn teasing her in a non-degrading manner? A smirk grew on Rachel's face.

"Well," Rachel said, pretending to think, "Why not? Who am I to deny them an opportunity to find out how amazing I really am," she answered.

Quinn raised a brow and chuckled. "Are you trying to be funny, Berry?" she said amused. The brunette was obviously playing along.

"Why? Am I succeeding?" Rachel raised a brow in challenge. Both of them had smirky smiles on their faces.

"Uh… no," Quinn laughed.

Rachel pouted, "Cockpoopie, I guess I'll need to work on my comedic abilities."

Quinn snorted and almost choked when she burst into laughter. She was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe.

"Did you… did you just say… cockpoopie?" Quinn choked out between laughs. She was actually considering falling to the floor and rolling in laughter.

"Yes," Rachel pouted. "It's not that funny."

"Oh yes it is," Quinn laughed. "Don't bother working on your comedic abilities, just say cockpoopie and you're golden."

Rachel glared. "I don't appreciate you making fun of me, Quinn."

Quinn looked up at Rachel and saw that she was actually quite upset. Quinn tried to stop laughing but it was hard.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Quinn giggled, her laughter dying down just a tad bit, "but if it makes you feel any better, I don't feel sick at all anymore."

It was true. Quinn didn't feel panicked anymore and she finally felt like she could breathe. It was funny how Rachel was the cause of the panic but was also the one to calm her down.

"Really?" Rachel asked. She was still pouting but she looked adorable doing it.

"Yes, you made me feel a whole lot better. I guess laughter_ is_ the best medicine," Quinn smiled. Her laughter had died down but she was still smiling wide. She let out a couple of chuckles.

"Well if it makes you feel better…" Rachel trailed off, a small smile gracing her lips, "cockpoopie."

That started another round of incessant laughing.

The brunette watched with a big smile on her face as the blonde laughed nonstop. She liked seeing Quinn laugh. She looked so carefree, so happy. And her laughter sounded like a beautiful melody. Rachel only hoped this wouldn't be the last time she'd hear Quinn laugh. She always wanted to hear Quinn laugh.

Rachel didn't know what exactly had possessed her to lean over and hug the blonde but when she did everything felt right. She couldn't explain the feeling that she felt as she held Quinn. It was different.

"I'm really glad we're friends now, Quinn," the brunette whispered. She felt the blonde relax against her body and tighten her hold around her waist.

"Me too."

Quinn's husky voice sent shivers down her spine. It made her body tremble for a second. She hoped the blonde hadn't felt it, because even though it was slightly chilly outside it wasn't cold enough to make her body quiver.

"Quinn?"

A male voice interrupted Rachel's thoughts. She turned towards the voice and noticed Sam standing a few feet away. She put on a small smile but couldn't help but feel disappointed. Tentatively, she pulled away from Quinn and stood from her seat. She looked down at the blonde and noticed she was staring daggers at Sam. She didn't know what was going on between the two but she wished she knew. They obviously had some problems to work out and needed privacy. Rachel just wished could've gotten more time with Quinn.

"Hi Sam," Rachel said brightly, "it looks like you found us." She giggled.

The blonde boy smiled at the brunette. He had been so surprised when Rachel had gone after Quinn when she ran out. He was going to go after her but Rachel beat him to it. It really confused him. He knew the two girls weren't on bad terms anymore but he never would have thought that the tiny girl would try to comfort his girlfriend. It was just weird. But he was grateful nonetheless. He thought Rachel was really cool for doing that.

"Yeah, Kurt didn't want to tell me where you guys were at so I looked around," he shrugged nervously. Sam could feel Quinn's eyes burning a hole through his skull.

"Well aren't you persistent," Rachel chuckled awkwardly. She glanced at Quinn and noticed she was still glaring at the boy. She needed to get out of there.

"I imagine you two want some privacy. I'll just head back to the choir room," the brunette said before walking past Sam. When she got to the doors leading into the hall she turned around and faced the two blondes. Sam was looking at Quinn while the head cheerleader stared in her direction. When her eyes met the blonde's hazel ones she gave her a comforting smile.

"I'll see you two back in the choir room," she said softly. Even though she had directed it at the both of them, she really just meant to say it to Quinn.

The blonde gave Rachel the smallest of smiles before turning to Sam and glaring at him again. Rachel took that as her sign to get out of there.

When Rachel disappeared from the quad Sam moved forward and hesitantly sat next to Quinn at the table.

"Quinn, what's wrong? Why did you run out of glee?" Sam asked. He noticed his girlfriend seemed a little tense.

"Nothing's wrong," the blonde cheerio ground out.

Sam sighed. He knew there was something wrong—he wasn't stupid. Quinn's evasiveness was really starting to frustrate him. All he wanted to do was help but she kept ignoring him and pushing him away. It'd been like that all week. It was tiring.

"I know something is wrong again. I told you I'm not dumb. You've been like this all week, why can't you just tell me what's going on? It's obviously not Rachel since you guys seem like friends now." Sam exclaimed. He'd never raised his voice with Quinn before but he couldn't help it. He was tired of her hiding things from him.

When he looked at Quinn he felt his entire body freeze. If looks could kill he'd be dead in a heartbeat. Her glare was so cold it was making him shiver. He'd never seen this Quinn before. It was scary.

"You want to know what's wrong?" Quinn hissed. "_You!_ That's what's wrong! You keep smothering me like some child. I don't need you to go looking for me whenever I'm not with you. I need space, Sam! I want be able to breathe for once without you being there. I'm not some fragile little girl. I can deal with shit on my own. I don't need my boyfriend to hold my hand through everything."

During Quinn's rant the blonde had stood from her seat. She stood there in front of Sam, panting, watching her wide-eyed boyfriend take in everything she had said. He looked so devastated, but she didn't care. She was tired of him, of his neediness. She needed distance and this was the only way to get it.

"Now, I'm going to go back to the choir room and you are NOT going to follow me. I don't care where you go―I do not want to see your face right now."

Quinn walked past Sam and stormed into the hall, slamming the doors after her. She was furious. How dare he show up when he wasn't wanted? Just for a moment, one tiny moment, Quinn had felt _good_. She hadn't been angry, or bitter, or depressed. Being there and talking with Rachel had felt _good_. That was the only way she could describe it. For a moment she had forgotten everything. She had forgotten about Sam, about Puck, about the stupid date. But then Sam had gotten there and ruined it all. It had all came crashing down. Sam was her boyfriend, Puck was taking out Rachel on her first date, and there was a slight chance she was gay. Reality sucked.

When she got back to the choir room everything seemed normal. Like usual, everybody in the room was busy chatting. Since she and Sam had been the last ones to perform, it seemed Mr. Schue had cut the lesson short. She was glad because she wasn't in the mood to sing. She just wanted to get out of there and prepare for the football game. Quinn needed the distraction.

When she walked in only a few people took notice. One of them being Santana.

"Well aren't you quite the drama queen, looks like you've been hanging out with Berry too long. I wouldn't make it a habit of hanging around dwarfs if I were you, Q," the Latina snickered.

Quinn glared at her and then glanced at Rachel. The brunette had only rolled her eyes.

"Why'd you leave, Q? Were you throwing up rainbows because of Rachel's amazingness?" Brittany asked.

Santana burst out laughing. Quinn blushed and shook her head. "No Britts, I just needed some air."

The tall blonde looked at her confused. "Don't we always need air? There's air in here, silly. You don't need to go outside. See?" the blonde inhaled deeply and then exhaled.

Quinn sighed. Brittany could be so adorable, but sometimes she hated having to explain things to her.

"You're right, Britt. I just wanted to be alone," she finally admitted.

The blonde took a seat next to Santana and Brittany. The two told her about what had happened after she ran out. Of course Santana teased her about Rachel running after her and Sam freaking out. Apparently Sam hadn't performed either because he had gone in search for her. Quinn only rolled her eyes.

There were only ten minutes left til the bell rang and Quinn couldn't stop glancing in Rachel's direction. She was on the other side of the room with Kurt, Puck, and Tina. It annoyed her to see Rachel be so carefree with Puck so she'd have to remind herself that the tiny brunette only had platonic feelings for him. It still didn't stop her from glaring at the boy, though.

The blonde was very subtle with her leering but even her subtlety wasn't good enough to fool Kurt. He'd caught her several times staring at the brunette next to him, but not once did Quinn notice. It really confused him. Earlier she had been glaring at Rachel and Puck, but this time she just stared at Rachel. She wasn't glaring at her either. It was more of a pensive look, a more… softer look.

_No, _Kurt thought. It couldn't be, could it? He was afraid to even think it, but the way Quinn was looking at Rachel made it seem like she was somehow… enamored, with the brunette.

Kurt shook his head. _No, it's impossible. That girl is straighter than a ruler_, he thought. But then he glanced in her direction again. Quinn was looking at Rachel with the softest eyes he'd ever seen the blonde express.

"Oh my god," he whispered to himself once it finally hit him. He quickly turned around before Quinn could catch him looking her way and stared at the front of the classroom with wide eyes.

Quinn Fabray was _crushing_ on Rachel Berry.

He almost couldn't believe it, but by the way the blonde kept looking at Rachel it was hard not to. She was practically making goo goo eyes at her. It made sense now―the way she was glaring at Puck earlier. Quinn was jealous of him. It must have been why she was so pissy when she came in. Everybody at school was talking about him and Rachel.

_But what about Sam?_ Kurt questioned. He'd noticed that the blonde boy hadn't come back after he set out to look for them. Rachel had told him that she left the two blondes to talk but only Quinn came back. Were they fighting? The couple had never been this distant with each other, and now that Kurt thought about it, it had all started two weeks ago when Rachel moved here.

A smirk formed on Kurt's lips. He glanced at the blonde again. His smirk grew. He had to confirm his suspicion. He just had to. He needed it to be confirmed because if Quinn really did have feelings for Rachel then there was a possibility that those feeling were mutual. He'd heard Rachel talk about Quinn like she was some goddess. She'd called her beautiful and even expressed to wanting to get to know her better. He just didn't know if she meant it as friends or as more than friends. Regardless, Kurt was going to get to the bottom of it.

When the bell rang alerting that school was over all the kids rushed out of their classes. Everybody was excited for the weekend and for the football game. The kids in glee were no different, but there were some exceptions. Kurt and Rachel stayed behind to talk to Mr. Schue about future assignments. It had been Rachel's idea so after a minute or so she told Kurt that she'd just meet him out in the parking lot. Kurt was going to follow Rachel home and then he was going to drive Rachel back for the game since she was going to ride with Puck after. Kurt hesitantly agreed and walked out to leave some of his books in his locker while Rachel discussed with Mr. Schue. She had some really great idea for glee assignments but Mr. Schuester wasn't really listening. He just wanted to get out of there.

"That sounds great Rachel, we should talk about this more on Monday," Mr. Schue said as he grabbed his things from his office.

"Oh okay," Rachel smiled as she followed him out of his office into the choir room. "Have a good weekend, Mr. Schue," she called out as he walked out the door.

She stood there quietly, slightly miffed that her teacher had just ignored her like that. She turned back to her seat to grab her things when she heard someone walk in. She figured Mr. Schue had forgotten something but when she turned around she found Sam standing there with red-rimmed eyes. The sight broke her heart.

"Sam, are you… I mean… I don't want to pry, but… are you… are you ok?" Rachel approached the blonde.

Sam looked at her but didn't say anything. He just sniffed and wiped at his nose.

"Look, I know we're not exactly friends. But if you need to talk, you can talk to me," she said tentatively.

The boy walked over to the risers and sat down on one of the red chairs. He then looked up at Rachel with a frown.

"I think Quinn is going to break up with me," he said sadly.

Rachel frowned. It was so heartbreaking to see Sam so sad. She didn't know much about his relationship with Quinn but it was obvious he loved her very much. She was kind of jealous. Nobody loved her like that.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked softly as she approached him. She sat next to him on the risers.

"I think so, everything's just so different. She's been very distant lately and I worry. I don't want to lose her, but today she told me I was smothering her. How can I care about her without smothering her?" he said and then looked to the brunette.

Rachel didn't know what to say. She didn't know much about relationships since she had never been in one but she'd seen plenty of romantic comedies.

"Well," she started, "you can talk to her about boundaries. If she claims that you smother her too much then ask her what you can do so she won't feel so… oppressed," Rachel suggested.

"But I worry about her. She's been through a lot this year and I just want to support her but she doesn't let me. I just want to be there for her," Sam replied.

The brunette's heart clenched. It was hard to see Sam like this, especially since it involved Quinn.

"Then be there for her when she needs you. Right now she's just a little stressed. It'll pass. Just give her some time," Rachel answered.

Sam slowly nodded. "She said she didn't want to see me after we talked in the quad. Do you think it'll be okay if I talked to her after the game?"

Rachel didn't know but she didn't want to shrug. She actually wanted to be helpful. Sam actually seemed to want to follow her advice and he was a sweet guy.

"Yes, I think that would be a good time to talk to her. Just don't be aggressive. Apologize for smothering her and ask her how you can make things better. Don't ask her what's going on or if she's okay. She'll tell you when she's ready," Rachel told him.

Sam smiled at her. He thought Rachel was pretty cool after all.

"Thanks Rachel, you're awesome you know that?" Sam told her.

Rachel blushed. She still wasn't used to getting compliments.

"And you're sweet. Quinn's a very lucky girl," Rachel grinned.

The two stood from the risers and grabbed their things. Sam decided to walk out Rachel to the parking lot and the two talked about football on the way there. Rachel mentioned she was going to the game and then going out on her date with Noah. Sam was happy to know Rachel was going to the game.

When they made it to the parking lot they found Kurt standing next to his car looking at his phone. He must have been playing some game on there because he didn't even notice their arrival.

"Thanks again, Rachel. For you know, talking," the blonde boy said shyly. "I don't really have anybody to talk about that stuff with. Puck and Finn don't really know about that stuff and I don't feel comfortable talking to other girls because they only like to flirt. You're like the only girl in this school that I'm comfortable talking to who isn't my girlfriend."

Rachel smiled. "It's no problem Sam. If you ever need to talk, I'm here."

The boy took her by surprised and hugged her. The brunette smiled and hugged him back. Sam was too sweet and Quinn deserved somebody like him. She wanted the best for Quinn and there was nobody more perfect for her than Sam. So right then and there, the brunette decided that she was going to do everything in her power to help them mend their relationship, and then maybe one day she and Quinn would become the best friends.

* * *

**Thank you guys again for all the reviews! Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Okay guys, so this is the last chapter I have that was already written. I'm currently working on chapter 15 so I'm not sure when i'll be posting that one. I'm hoping by Friday but I can't make any promises. If you guys have any questions that you want to discuss with me go ahead and PM me or review. I won't get all crazy defensive if you critique my story. Just don't be too brutal, yeah? Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. **

**disclaimer: I do not own Glee. **

"Am I dreaming, or is this real?" Kurt said in awe as he walked into the foyer of the Berry home.

"It's real alright," Rachel chuckled. "Don't worry; I was equally surprised when I walked inside for the first time. My home in New York does not compare to this house. It's not as extravagant."

Kurt continued to eye the foyer. "I don't think there's a word to describe how amazing your house is. Can I stay here forever?"

"Sure," Rachel giggled.

The boy's eyes widened. "Don't tease me, woman," he said seriously, "I'm highly tempted to go home and pack up all of my belongings and come live with you and your father. I'll even take the couch, and I _never_ take the couch."

Rachel just giggled and shook her head. "You're crazy. Come on," she grabbed his hand and dragged him upstairs.

"Wait, don't I at least get a tour?" Kurt complained. He wanted to see the house in its entirety.

"That can take hours and we don't have hours to spare," Rachel explained. "I'll give you a full tour next time—I promise."

Kurt perked up. "There's going to be a next time?"

Rachel smiled and nodded.

"In that case, let's go!" Kurt exclaimed as he took the lead and pulled Rachel up the stairs.

Even though Rachel promised to give Kurt the full tour on his next visit, she did take the time to show him some of the rooms on the way her bedroom. She pointed out her father's room and the other guestrooms until they reached her room. Kurt looked on with such intrigue when Rachel placed her finger on the security panel outside her bedroom. He'd never seen anything like that before.

When the door unlocked, Rachel took both door handles and opened them to reveal her room. Kurt's eyes widened when he saw the inside. He felt like he had died and gone to heaven.

"Are those- are they-" Kurt gasped as he pointed to the posters on the wall. Rachel was full with giddiness as she watched Kurt spaz out.

"Yes, they're posters, yes they are real, and yes, they are all officially signed by the actors themselves," Rachel answered with a smile.

"Dead, I am dead. This cannot really be happening. I have died and gone to heaven and heaven looks a lot like your room," Kurt said dramatically.

Rachel giggled. "I assure you Kurt, this isn't heaven. If it was heaven then Audrey Hepburn and Judy Garland would be standing right in front of us."

Kurt pursed his lips. "True."

He looked at the posters and then to Rachel. "Can I?" he asked, pointing to the posters. He wanted to get a closer look. It was too good to be true and he wanted to take a good look at them just in case he never came back to the Berry household ever again.

"Of course," Rachel grinned. She didn't want to spoil the fun for him.

The brunette watched as Kurt giddily looked at the posters on her walls. She lied on top of her bed as he toured her room. It was nice to finally share her space with somebody. It was too wonderful for her not to share it with someone. Kurt was somebody who she knew would appreciate it. She was glad she had invited him. It was nice to have a friend over.

"Oh my god!" Kurt gasped loudly.

Rachel sat up in a panic and ran over to Kurt to see what the problem was. When she saw the poster he was looking at, all the blood drained from her face.

Kurt turned around hastily to face Rachel―who was pale as a ghost and having a tiny panic attack.

"Shelby Corcoran is your mom!?" Kurt exclaimed. He didn't know whether to be extremely pissed or extremely happy.

Rachel swallowed hard. "Uh yeah, she's my mom," she chuckled nervously.

"Of course!" Kurt said hysterically, "Of course you would be related to one of Broadway's most famous actresses, not to mention multiple time Tony winner, Grammy winner, and Emmy winner. All she needs is an Oscar, which I'm predicting she will be getting next award season since I read online that she's busy working on an Oscar-worthy film in- oh my god, that's why you're here, isn't it? Your mom is working on a movie?"

Rachel nodded inaudibly.

Kurt took a deep breath. "I think… I think I'm going to faint," he exhaled.

Rachel got a hold of Kurt and pushed him towards her bed. He took a seat and then fell back into it. It felt like he was lying on top of a cloud.

The brunette also took a seat and lied down right beside him. Both of them were looking up at the ceiling which had been decorated with glow-in-the-dark stars.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kurt finally spoke after five minutes of silence. He turned his head to look at the brunette.

Rachel sighed. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to think differently of me. I wanted you to like me because of who I am and not because of my mother."

Kurt turned on his side so he could look at Rachel better. "Rachel, when I first met you I thought you were the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful girl that I had ever met."

Rachel looked at him and smiled shyly. Her eyes got a little misty.

"And now that I know who your mom is," Kurt continued, "I still think you're the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful girl that I've ever met. Yes, your mom is famous and it's very exciting to know that you're her daughter, but it doesn't change the fact that you're amazing and you're my best friend."

Rachel's smile widened and suddenly the room was a little brighter than it was a few seconds prior.

"I'm going to hug you now," Rachel announced as she pounced on him. The two giggled until they realized how it would look if someone walked into the room. Almost immediately they separated and began to laugh hysterically.

"Okay, enough with the silliness," Kurt chuckled breathlessly, "show me your closet before it's too late and I fall asleep on this cloud you call a bed."

Rachel chuckled and sat up. She had to help Kurt get up from the bed because he was just too comfortable laying on it that he couldn't do it by himself. After a slight struggle, Rachel was finally able to get him up on his feet.

"So I'm guessing that your closet is behind these curtains?" Kurt asked, pointing to said curtains.

Rachel nodded.

"Its genius," the boy gushed. He walked forward and grabbed the curtains. He looked to Rachel for permission to open them. The tiny diva smiled and nodded.

Once he opened the curtains he couldn't help but gasp. It was enchanting. The closet was even better than the room. It was huge and it was full with tons of clothes and shoes. Not to mention it had a light bulb framed vanity and an actor's chair with her name on it. It was Rachel's own personal dressing room. He was green with envy.

"We are definitely going to have fun picking out your outfit for tonight. We should probably get started. This is going to take a while," Kurt smirked back at Rachel. The tiny brunette smiled radiantly.

"Let's do it."

XxX

Rachel always liked to believe that she had style. Ever since she was a child she'd pick out outfits to wear and her mother always approved. But when she got older she realized that fashion was a lot more important than she initially believed. So she tried harder. Blaine was always there to give her a second opinion and it always worked out great. This time she had Kurt, who she had to admit knew his fashion pretty well.

The brunette's clothing selection was vast so they started to think of ways to narrow down her selections. First, the duo thought about comfort. Rachel was comfortable in just about anything, so it wasn't very helpful. Then Kurt thought about the weather. It was mid-September in Ohio so it was pretty chilly. They ruled out dresses, shorts, and skirts. It was a disappointment because Rachel really loved wearing skirts and dresses, but she didn't want to freeze to death either.

It was decided that Rachel was going to wear pants to the game. It was only obvious since she couldn't wear anything else, so the two decided to browse through her various pairs of trousers.

"So…" Kurt spoke, "what was that between you and Sam in the parking lot. You two seemed a little friendly," the boy asked.

He'd been dying to ask Rachel about it ever since they left the school but he never really got the chance to bring it up until now. It had really surprised him to see Rachel with Sam, especially since Sam was Quinn's boyfriend and Rachel seemed to be quite determined to stay on the blonde's good side.

"Oh, that," Rachel perked up, "nothing, we're just friends," she said nonchalantly as she looked at some jeans.

Kurt narrowed his eyes at her. Not once in the two weeks since Rachel started at McKinley had he seen Rachel and Sam interact. He actually thought that Sam had been trying to avoid Rachel because of Quinn. In Glee, the football player hardly looked her way or even spoke to her. Now they were friends all of a sudden and sharing hugs. If his suspicions were correct and Quinn really did have feelings for Rachel, then Rachel's "friendship" with the quarterback was going to be a problem.

_She can't like him, can she?_ Kurt questioned. He already knew Rachel had no interest in Puck, but Sam was a different story. That boy was handsome and sweet as pie. Even Kurt had had a little crush on him.

"Do you like him?" he asked her. Kurt eyed the brunette.

"Yes, he's a really sweet guy," she answered happily. Kurt wasn't quite sure if the brunette understood him correctly.

"I mean do you _like him,_ _like him_?" he asked again.

This time Rachel understood exactly what Kurt had meant and her eyes widened.

"Oh my god Kurt, not like that!" she exclaimed. "Quinn's his girlfriend and Quinn's my… well… she's kind of my friend now and that would be completely inappropriate not to mention breaking the girl code, and I for one do not break any kind of code that has to do with bonds of friendship," the tiny brunette ranted.

Kurt had to keep from laughing. He'd never seen the brunette look so flustered before. It was kind of adorable.

"I was just asking because you guys were acting a little too friendly. He hugged you, Rachel. I haven't seen him hug any other girl besides Quinn," he stated.

Rachel's eyes were wide. "I promise you Kurt, it was not like that. He was talking to me about Quinn and he just needed some advice—that's it."

Kurt raised a brow curiously. "What kind of advice?" he asked.

Rachel ducked her head. She wasn't sure what to do. Sam had talked to her about Quinn in confidence and she wasn't sure if it was right to tell Kurt about the couples' issues.

"Quinn admitted to Sam that she's been feeling a little smothered lately, and it had him feeling a little down. He wanted to know what he could do so that she didn't feel smothered by him," Rachel spilled. She felt bad doing it but she couldn't help but blurt it out.

Kurt tried to hide his smirk. Quinn thought Sam was smothering? That was definitely new. Before Rachel moved to Lima Quinn had to have Sam by her side 24/7. The two were never apart and not once had the blonde cheerleader ever complained about it―until now that is.

"Oh, well that's too bad. They've been together for a while now. I hope they don't break up," Kurt said with sympathy. It was all an act of course. He could care less about the golden couple.

"How long have they been together, exactly?" Rachel asked shyly.

Kurt's smirk grew.

"If my memory serves me correctly they should be celebrating their one year anniversary soon," he answered nonchalantly.

Rachel was surprised. She hadn't expected to hear that. A year was a long time.

"Wow, they must be really serious," the brunette commented.

"Yeah, well as serious as teenage relationship can be," Kurt added. "It's definitely Quinn's longest relationship to date."

The brunette couldn't help but be curious. She wanted to know who else the blonde had dated. Did she know them? Were any of them in her classes? Were they cute? It was really eating at her so she decided to ask.

Kurt was happy to disclose any information he had on Quinn's love life. After all, Kurt and Quinn had known each other for almost four years. He knew about all of her relationships, including her former flings with both Puck and Finn. It really shocked Rachel to find out about Puck and Finn. She could have never guessed that the blonde had dated them.

"Finn? She dated Finn?" Rachel repeated. She looked horrified. She didn't understand how someone like Quinn could be with someone like Finn.

Kurt nodded. "Yeah, for three months I believe. It wasn't that long."

Rachel just stood there flabbergasted. She even stopped looking through her clothes. It was just a shock.

"How did that happen? I mean, why? I understand Finn is a handsome guy but he's vapid and tactless. It just doesn't make sense," Rachel argued.

Kurt noticed how worked up Rachel was over this. It almost seemed like she was jealous. But was it really jealousy? Anybody could see that Quinn was way too good for Finn. Kurt was Finn's stepbrother and even he saw it. The only reason why he didn't think much of it was because there was a clear motive behind Quinn's actions and everybody knew it.

"You want to know why she dated him?" Kurt asked Rachel.

The brunette nodded eagerly.

"She dated him for his popularity. Finn might not be so popular now, but back then he was the star quarterback and Quinn had just become the head cheerleader. She kind of felt obligated to date him. It wasn't until he tore his ACL that she broke up with him and started her fling with Puckerman," Kurt explained.

He watched as everything he had just said started to click in Rachel's head. Her lips formed and 'O' as she finally understood why the blonde had dated Finn. She seemed relieved. .

"Well now that makes sense. I can't say it was the right thing for her to do because playing with someone's feelings is just awful, but I'm glad she was able to get out of it before there were any real feelings involved. I'm also little surprised to hear she dated Noah, but not too surprised. He is a sweet guy after all and he's quite handsome. I just never thought about them dating since everybody keeps telling me that I'm the first girl he's really dated," Rachel rambled.

"They didn't really date," Kurt explained as he took some jeans off the hanger, "it was more of a fling. They talked for a while, then they hooked up, then that followed them for a while, and then they were finished. It didn't really end well." Kurt looked up at Rachel and noticed she looked confused.

"What do you mean by 'they hooked up'?" the brunette asked.

Kurt raised a brow. "Seriously Rachel, you don't know what 'hooked up' means?" he deadpanned.

The brunette bashfully nodded. "Of course I do, but there are different ways of interpreting that phrase. A hook up can mean anything. It can mean a kiss, or it can mean-"

"Sex, Rachel," Kurt interjected. "Quinn and Puck had sex."

"Oh," the brunette exhaled shakily.

Rachel didn't understand why she felt so disappointed. It was in the past and she didn't even know Quinn and Noah back then. She had no idea who they were or that they even existed. So why was she taking this so hard? She liked Noah, but what she felt for him wasn't enough to elicit these types of feelings from her. According to Kurt, Noah had slept with a lot of people, so why was she dwelling on this one encounter?

_Because it was with Quinn,_ she told herself.

"So have you found anything for me to wear?" Rachel masked her disappointment and turned to Kurt once again.

The brunette's mood change caught Kurt off guard. One minute she looked so devastated and the next she had a big, bright smile on and had changed the topic. Her reaction to the news of Puck and Quinn had definitely been an interesting one. Kurt had no doubt in his mind that his new lovely best friend was harboring some feelings for the blonde Cheerio. Now all he needed to do now was get her to admit it.

_But I'll work on that later, right now I have to find something sexy for her to wear tonight, _he told himself.

The pair continued looking through Rachel's closet in hopes of finding the perfect outfit for her date. After searching for an entire hour, they narrowed it down to three options. Since they had decided that the brunette was going to wear pants Kurt picked out a pair of black skinny jeans, dark washed skinny jeans, and black leggings. Rachel had immediately vetoed the leggings so it was between the black jeans and the dark washed jeans. As for tops, Kurt had picked a white blazer, a black and beige striped v-neck cashmere sweater, and plain grey v-neck sweater.

After trying on all potential ensembles the two finally decided on an outfit. Kurt quickly sent Rachel to shower while he ironed and steamed her clothes. He was also in charge of picking shoes for the occasion but that one was a no brainer.

One thing that caught his eye while looking around the brunette's closet was her vast collection of spandex shorts.

"Good God, she could probably turn me straight with these," Kurt muttered aloud as he stretched the material of one of the shorts.

"You like those, huh?"

Kurt turned around to find Rachel standing behind him wrapped in a plush pink bathrobe and towel drying her hair. The brunette had her eyebrow raised as she stared at him holding the tiny shorts in his hand.

The boy just smirked. "Do you wanna tell me why you have so many spandex shorts?" he questioned.

Rachel laughed. Her dad had asked her the exact same question when she started to lounge around the house in them. He prohibited her from wearing them outside of the house.

"I had to wear them for P.E. back at my old school. I find them to be very comfortable so I like to wear them frequently around the house," she explained.

"I would've loved being in your P.E. class. I bet your ass looks fantastic in them," Kurt commented, glancing at Rachel's backside.

Rachel looked over her shoulder and down to her butt. She didn't find anything special about it. It was just there.

She looked back up at Kurt and smirked. "You know, I'm starting to think you're not really gay," the brunette teased.

Kurt huffed. "Oh believe me honey, I am. I just know a good ass when I see one. And you my lovely lady have a nice ass."

"Well thanks," Rachel blushed. "It's nice to know someone appreciates it" she giggled.

"I'm sure I'm not the only one who appreciates it," Kurt teasingly wiggled his brows. "You have no idea how many people I've caught staring at your behind. And it's not just the boys, but the girls too. Like Santana for example, she's always staring at your ass."

Rachel's eyes widened. "What? Santana stares at my butt?"

"Uh huh," Kurt nodded with smirky smile. "One of these days when you walk out of glee, glance back at Santana and I guarantee you she'll be ogling your precious behind—Brittany too. Those girls have absolutely no qualms about checking out other girls in each other's presence. Sometimes I wonder how their relationship even works."

The brunette chuckled. She didn't know how that relationship worked either.

"But enough about that, let's get you dressed!" Kurt said excitedly.

The pair decided that they'd start with Rachel's hair and make-up first. Since the date was going to be casual the brunette decided that she just wanted some loose curls, so Kurt put some rollers in her hair and left them in while he did her make-up. It took an hour for Rachel's hair and make-up to get done. The brunette was really happy with the results. She didn't exactly have loose curls but her wavy tousled hair made her look great. She even thought she looked sexy, and that she _never_ thought herself to be sexy. It really boosted her confidence.

Getting dressed only took her a couple of minutes. She put on her top, her skin tight jeans, and her lucky red heels. Kurt had stepped out of the dressing room while she got dressed so she was alone. Before she stepped out to show Kurt how she looked she took a moment to really look at herself in the mirror. She looked a lot like her mother and it made her smile.

"You look gorgeous, Rachel"

Rachel turned around and smiled at Kurt who had stuck his head in through the curtains. He grinned and walked over to stand behind her. They both looked at each other in the mirror.

"I never noticed how much you looked like your mom," Kurt commented. It made Rachel giggle.

"I was just thinking about that. I've never felt so beautiful before," the brunette admitted.

"You're always beautiful," the boy leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. "And it's not because you look like your mom. Your person just radiates beauty."

Rachel smiled and looked at him wistfully. "Why can't you be straight?"

Kurt laughed. "Believe me, I ask myself that question every day."

The two laughed and Rachel turned around to give Kurt a hug. She really needed this. She needed someone to laugh with, to talk to and make her feel good. Rachel always thought Blaine would be the only person―besides her parents—to make her feel like she was cared for. She never imagined someone like Kurt coming into her life. He had quickly wormed his way into her heart and became someone of importance in her life.

"I love you, Kurt," Rachel murmured.

Kurt's eyes filled with tears. Rachel truly was an angel who had come to him to make his life better. He was happy now, and felt loved by someone else besides his father and stepmother. He had a friend, a true friend.

"I love you, too," he smiled. A small tear escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek. When he pulled away from the tender embrace he and Rachel had shared the tiny brunette reached up to his cheek and brushed the tear away.

"God, look at us. You have a date tonight and here we are crying like we just watched Bridge to Terabithia," Kurt laughed weakly. "I'm glad we decided on the waterproof mascara."

Rachel giggled and blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall. "We should get going. It's almost time to leave and I still have to let my dad know I'm going out. He should be home by now."

Kurt nodded and helped the brunette pick up a little bit before they headed downstairs. With their hands clasped together both Kurt and Rachel exited the room and took the stairs down to the kitchen where the brunette was sure she'd find her father. The kitchen was the first place her father stopped by after getting home from work. He was always starved so he was usually there scavenging the refrigerator and pantry for food.

As soon as they reached the bottom step of the stairway they heard Hiram call out Rachel's name. The brunette turned to Kurt and smiled. "Come on," she pulled on his hand.

Kurt was nervous. He'd never met Mr. Berry in person but he'd heard about him from everybody in Lima. He was rich, attractive, and beyond smart. It was intimidating to meet him.

"Hey daddy," Rachel greeted as she stepped into the kitchen. Kurt was anxiously walking beside her, their hands still clasped together.

Hiram was in the middle of eating his sandwich when he looked over to greet his daughter. His jaw dropped mid-bite when he saw Rachel standing a couple feet away dressed up to the nines. She looked incredible.

"Daddy, close your mouth, that's absolutely disgusting. We have company!" she scolded, embarrassed that her father had his mouth wide open with food still on his tongue. But Kurt didn't care. Even with his mouth full, Mr. Berry looked handsome as ever.

Hiram immediately shut his mouth and swallowed back his food. He stood up from his seat brushing some crumbs off his suit and walked over to the pair.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, it's just that you look absolutely stunning," the man said in awe as he bent down and kissed his daughter's cheek.

Rachel blushed. "It's okay, daddy. I just wanted you to meet Kurt," she told him as she tugged on the boy's hand.

Kurt immediately stepped up and smiled at the man. Hiram returned his smile and extended out his hand to him.

"Hello Kurt, It's nice to meet you," Hiram spoke, making Kurt swoon with his velvety voice.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Berry," Kurt said in awe. Rachel tried to contain her giggles. She found the dreamy look in Kurt's eyes amusing.

"The pleasure is all mine," Hiram grinned, "I've heard nothing but great things about you. Rachel talks about you all the time. I'm glad I finally got to meet you. I was starting to think you were imaginary," he joked.

Rachel gasped, "Daddy, you are such a liar. You saw Kurt the day you picked me up from school. Stop trying to embarrass me." Her face was flushed with embarrassment.

Kurt stifled a giggle. The tiny brunette glared at him and at her father.

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Embarrass you shamelessly in front of your friends?" he teased her.

"No, absolutely not!" she argued. "And if this is how you're going to act then Kurt is the last friend I'm bringing over," she huffed.

"Drama queen," Hiram sang teasingly. He looked at Rachel who had her arms crossed and head turned away. He laughed and enveloped her in a hug. "You know I'm just joking around, honey. I want to be able to meet all your friends. I'll try to not embarrass you anymore, okay? But I can't make any promises."

Rachel huffed and gave her dad a little push. She had a small smile on her face though so Hiram knew she wasn't upset. He grinned.

"So where exactly are you going dressed up like that?" the older man said eyeing Rachel's wardrobe with a raised eyebrow.

Rachel perked up. "Kurt and I are going to a football game," she said happily.

"Yeah, it's the first one of the season. My stepbrother is on the team so I have to be in attendance. Rachel invited me to go with her since it's her first football game, ever," Kurt added. He felt comfortable talking to Rachel's father after their introduction. He was still a bit nervous around the older man but not as much as he had been before he met him.

Hiram frowned. He wanted to be the one to take Rachel to her first high school football game. He had promised to accompany her to a game when the season started and now he couldn't because he had made other plans.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart, I promised you I would attend a game with you and I completely forgot. I have a conference call with some of my associates in Japan," Hiram explained.

His _conference call_ was actually a Skype date. He and LeRoy hadn't seen each other in a week and they missed each other dearly. Hiram missed seeing his fiancé's handsome face and wished he could see him in person soon, but as of right now it was impossible. Rachel still didn't know about his sexuality and he didn't want to bring LeRoy around too soon.

"Daddy, it's okay. I'm sure I can accompany you to another game this season. I know I'll have a good time with Kurt tonight," she told him.

Hiram looked at Kurt and the boy nodded in agreement. He trusted him. He only just met him moments ago but the way Rachel spoke about him and the way he was holding her hand made him believe he'd show her a good time. And he was gay, so…

"Okay, fine. Just don't be home too late, okay? I want you home by midnight. If for some reason you're going to be late, call me," Hiram told her.

Rachel squealed and hugged her father. He chuckled and squeezed his baby girl in his arms. He loved her so much. It scared him how fast she was growing up.

As the two hugged, Kurt watched them adoringly. He felt his heart swell at the sight. But as sweet as it all was. Kurt hadn't missed the fact that Mr. Berry didn't know about Rachel's date. He was definitely going to have to talk to Rachel about it later. _She is so bad._

With Hiram's blessing, Rachel and Kurt left the house. They hopped into Kurt's car and drove off.

"So I noticed your father wasn't aware of your date with Puck. Want to explain that to me?" Kurt asked Rachel as they drove towards McKinley.

Rachel sighed. "I couldn't tell him, Kurt. My dad is really protective and if I would have told him about the date then he'd surely want to meet Noah. He would have even gone as far as to order a background check. From the things you've told me about him, I don't think my father would've approved."

Kurt nodded, "That's true. Last year he went to juvie for stealing an ATM machine from a convenience store. I'm sure your father would've banned you from seeing him if he found out."

"Yes, he would have, which is why I didn't tell him. I don't see myself dating Noah for a long period of time so there isn't a reason for me to even disclose my relationship with him to my father," Rachel told him.

Rachel had a point and Kurt completely agreed with it. He knew Rachel and Puck weren't going to last. He liked her but she didn't like him the way he wanted her to.

"Okay, fair enough," Kurt told her. The brunette smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze.

When they arrived at the high school the entire stadium parking lot was full. Kurt couldn't find a parking spot so he had to park in the staff parking lot which was kind of far from the stadium.

"Wow, it's seems everyone in Lima is here tonight," Kurt said excitedly. There was something about high school football games that brought out the McKinley pride in Kurt. He kind of liked putting on a coat and coming out to support his school. It was part of the high school experience. Something Rachel clearly hadn't experienced yet.

"Oh my god, this is so exciting!" Rachel squealed. She was smiling radiantly as they walked towards the stadium full with people. She'd never seen anything like it. She attended a baseball game once but it wasn't the same. She could feel the excitement in the air and the pride that these people had for their school. It was school spirit, and for once she was feeling it.

Once they entered the stadium they were met with tons of students they had seen in the halls. Rachel greeted almost everybody she ran into. Many of them were surprised to see her there, especially since she was dressed so nicely.

But Rachel didn't care about all the attention she was getting. She was too engulfed in what was happening in the stands and on the field. Kurt had explained that the JV team played before varsity, which was the team Puck, Sam, Mike, Matt, and Finn played on. She guessed that it was the JV team that was currently playing. She looked at the scoreboard and realized McKinley was winning. She let out a squeal of excitement.

"Look Kurt! We're winning," Rachel pointed to the scoreboard. They hadn't found seats yet so they were lingering by the concession stands.

Kurt looked at the scoreboard and nodded. "Yeah, we are. But nobody really cares about JV, Rach. It's the varsity game that matters," he said casually.

Rachel frowned. "But that's not fair. They work just as hard as the varsity team does. They do the exact same thing. They deserved to be cared about. JV games should be just as important as varsity games."

Kurt couldn't help but smile. Rachel was such a sweetheart. She cared for everything.

"I know it's not fair, but that's just how it is," Kurt shrugged. "Look at it this way, the JV game is like an opening act for the varsity game. It gets the fans pumped for the real event."

"Oh," Rachel said, tilting her head just a tiny bit.

_That is too cute_, Kurt thought as he watched the girl think about what he had just said.

"I get it now," Rachel nodded, "But I still think the JV team is important. Go JV!" she shouted.

Kurt laughed and pulled Rachel along as he started to make his way towards the home side of the bleachers. It was time for them to find seats. The JV game had only a couple of seconds left until it finished and then the varsity game was going to start after a short intermission. It was the perfect time to look for seats.

As the duo walked along the bottom of the bleachers they spotted one of their friends from glee. Rachel walked up to Artie, who was sitting in the handicap spot down below, and gave him a brief hug when she spotted him.

"Hi Artie," Rachel smiled as she leaned down to hug the handicapable boy.

"Hi Rachel, I didn't know you were coming," he asked when the tiny girl pulled away.

"Noah invited me. But I came here to support all of the boys from glee," she answered.

"Cool," he smiled.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "So Artie, have you seen anybody else from glee club?" he asked.

Artie tore his eyes away from Rachel and faced Kurt. "Uh yeah, Mercedes and Tina are here too. They're actually sitting here," he said pointing to the empty bleacher beside him. "They went to go get something from the concession stand. You guys should sit with us. We have enough room. You can sit next to me, Rachel," Artie offered.

"We'd love to sit with you," Rachel told him, "And I'll gladly sit next to you Artie. I just hope you won't get annoyed by all my questions. I'm still not familiar with all of the rules yet," Rachel said, taking the seat next to Artie. Kurt took the seat on the other side of Rachel and interlocked his arm with hers. It was a bit chilly and he wanted to keep warm.

"You annoy me? Please," Artie scoffed playfully. "You'd never annoy me, Rachel."

The three of them conversed about glee and school until Tina and Mercedes came back. Rachel greeted Tina with a hug while Mercedes just gave her a nod. She was still a little stand offish towards Rachel. The brunette understood the other girl was threatened by her but there was no need to be so cool towards her.

When the JV game ended everyone cheered in victory. Rachel was up out of her seat cheering even though no one else around her was up on their feet. It was safe to say that her actions had her fellow glee club members bewildered. They had gone to that school for three years and not even they had that much spirit.

After applauding for what seemed to be hours, Kurt finally pulled Rachel down to sit. The girl giggled and cuddled up to her friend. It was getting chillier by the minute and her blazer wasn't doing much to warm her up.

"So is the varsity game going to start now?" Rachel asked Kurt and Artie.

"It should, in a couple of minutes. Do you see the scoreboard," Artie pointed to the board on the far right end of the field. Rachel nodded. She'd seen it when she came in. It was enormous.

"Well those numbers up there are counting down the minutes until the game starts," Artie explained. Rachel looked up at the board and saw that there were five minutes left till the beginning of the game. Everyone in the stands were taking bathroom breaks or going to the concession stand for food.

"It's getting really cold out here. I think I'm going to go get some hot chocolate," Kurt announced. He looked down at the diva. "Want anything?"

Rachel doubted they had vegan options so she politely declined. "No, but I'll come with you," she told him.

Kurt nodded and held out his hand for her to take. "Do you guys want anything?" Kurt offered as he looked at his other friends. They all shook their heads no.

"Okay then, we'll be back before the game starts," Kurt announced before walking away with Rachel in tow.

The concession stands all had long lines and Kurt groaned when he noticed the line for hot chocolate was the longest. "Great, by the time we're up it's going to be half-time."

Rachel giggled at Kurt's annoyance. "I'm sure it'll move faster. Let's just stay here for a bit," Rachel encouraged. The taller boy agreed.

Two minutes went by and the line barely moved. Kurt was about to give up when he and Rachel heard someone call out her name from the front of the line. When the two of them looked down the line, they recognized the person who the voice had belonged to.

"Monica," Rachel smiled as she waved at the Cheerio. The taller girl was just two people away from it being her turn. The Cheerio waved her over.

"Come on, Kurt. Monica's going to let us go in front of her," Rachel urged. Kurt scoffed.

"What's wrong?" Rachel questioned him when he scoffed with disgust.

"Nothing," Kurt replied indifferently. He didn't want to tell her that he disliked the Cheerio. "It's just that I don't like it when people cut in line," he shrugged.

Rachel rolled her eyes and laughed. "It's not cutting when someone is allowing you to go in front of them," she tugged on his hand. Kurt eventually conceded and let the tinygirl drag him to the front of the line. He wasn't happy about having to see Monica.

"Hi Rachel," Monica said excitedly when they finally got to the front. She moved in front of Rachel and put her arms around her, wrapping her in a hug.

Rachel was taken aback by the hug but returned the gesture. She didn't want to be rude. "Hi," she giggled, "Thank you for letting us come up front. We would have been in this line for hours if it wasn't for you."

Monica smiled. "Anything for you, Rachel," the girl replied delightfully. "If I would have known you were coming to the game I would've come up with some kind of excuse to get out sitting with the rest of the JV Cheerio squad for the varsity game so I could sit with you."

Kurt rolled his eyes. He wished he could tell her something but he knew Rachel wouldn't approve.

Rachel smiled, "That's very nice of you but you don't have to worry about me. I have Kurt here," she gave Kurt's arm a squeeze."

Kurt stifled a giggle and shot Monica a smug smile. The Latina caught it and shot him a quick glare before looking back at Rachel and smiling at her. The small brunette was completely unaware of the tension between Kurt and the Cheerio.

"I'll still try to get away for a while. Where are you sitting?" Monica asked.

Rachel turned around to face the bleachers so she could pinpoint where exactly they were sitting. Kurt glared at the Cheerio as she watched the smaller brunette point at their spot in the stands. The Latina had a smug smile on her face and Kurt wanted to do nothing more than to wipe it off.

"Next?" the lady behind the window of the concession stand caught their attention. Monica moved up to the window and ordered a hot chocolate. Then she looked back at Rachel.

"Do you want anything, Rach? My treat," the Cheerio asked sweetly.

Kurt huffed loudly. _  
_

"No, thank you," Rachel said nicely. "I'm vegan and I'm pretty sure that the hot chocolate is not."

Monica looks at her intrigued. "Really?" she said looking up and down Rachel's form. The Cheerio thought she looked amazing in her white blazer and black skinny jeans. "You know I'm actually vegetarian," the Cheerio added.

Rachel gave her a surprised look but smiled brightly. She'd never met anybody who was a vegetarian before. It was the closest she'd been to meeting a vegan. Not many people shared the same beliefs as her.

"I do slip sometimes though," the Latina admitted. "I know I'm not supposed to eat anything with a face but I do make exceptions," she said seductively, making her leering totally obvious.

Rachel was completely oblivious to the girl's ogling and sexual innuendo—Kurt was not.

"You know what? I'm not in the mood for hot chocolate anymore. Let's just go back to our seats," he said as he grabbed Rachel's arm and dragged her away. The tiny girl shouted a quick goodbye to Monica and turned to Kurt.

"That was incredibly rude, Kurt," Rachel scolded as they walked back towards the bleacher's. "What's the matter?"

Kurt couldn't believe how naïve Rachel was.

"The matter is that Monica was practically undressing you with her eyes and salivating at the thought of eating you. I figured I'd get you out of there before she sexually assaulted you," he told her.

Rachel looked at Kurt with a serious expression for a second and then burst into laughter. She was laughing so loudly that the people around them were starting to stare.

"Rachel, what is wrong with you? Why are you laughing?" Kurt hissed. He took her hand and they continued walking so they could get away from the speculating crowd.

"I'm laughing because you're assuming that Monica likes me. As in _likes me_, likes me," she chuckled.

"She does," he deadpanned.

Rachel shook her head at the idea. "No, she doesn't. Girls just don't come onto me. Before Noah, not even boys had come onto me. It's not possible."

"You say that a lot but I'm starting to think it's not true," Kurt retorted. "There _must_ have been boys, or girls, at your old school who were attracted to you. You just never noticed because you're so oblivious to the world around you."

Rachel didn't know whether to take the idea into consideration or be insulted. She wasn't oblivious. She was completely conscious to what was going on around her. _Right?_

"If what you're saying is true then why wasn't I ever approached?" Rachel challenged.

"They must have been intimidated. You're a beautiful, talented, and intelligent woman, Rachel. Even I would've been scared to ask you out," Kurt told her.

The thought was very appealing to Rachel. She was hesitant to believe it, but there was a big possibility that it was true. She remembered how hard it was for her mother to date when she was who she was. Other actors were intimidated by her looks and her talent. The only ones that were ever brave enough to approach her were the ones who wanted her for publicity.

"So what you're saying is that I'm not approachable?" Rachel asked timidly. She used to think that being nice and polite made her approachable. Now she wasn't so sure.

"No, I'm not saying that. You're very approachable. But when it comes to the matters of dating, it's very different."

Rachel nodded. She kind of understood but she didn't feel like discussing it any further. She had a date tonight so she didn't want to think too much about it, because if she did she'd probably end up ruining it. She was just going to enjoy the game and continue to look forward to her time with Noah.

The pair made it back to their seats just in time. The entire stadium burst into screams and applause when the Cheerios came out. Rachel hadn't realized just how popular the girls were. By the way everybody was cheering she would've assumed it was the football team they were cheering for and not the Cheerios.

Rachel watched as the girls ran out from the far left end of the stadium. They were shaking their pompoms and doing cartwheels and front flips. Rachel smiled when she spotted Quinn. She was smiling radiantly as she jumped up and down with her pompoms in hand. For a moment the blonde's eyes found hers and they stared at each other. Rachel smiled brightly and waved at the Cheerio. Quinn smiled back and shook her pompom at her.

Once the cheerleaders had pumped up the crowd they lined up by the entrance they had come in through where a giant red football helmet was being inflated. It had a big 'T' on the side of it which stood for the school's mascot, the Titans. When the entire thing was inflated, loud heavy metal music began to blare out of the stadium speakers. Rachel recognized the song as "Bodies" by Drowning Pool. It was very intense.

The football team came running out of the football helmet and everyone cheered. Even Rachel found herself jumping up and down when the home team came out. She was weirdly bopping her head to the loud heavy metal music.

As more music played the football team went on the field and began their drills. They did jumping jacks and some other kind of exercises and stretches. Rachel was proud to see that Sam was the one leading the team during to their drills, him and number twenty which she knew was Noah's number. She cheered them on as they stretched.

Once they all stretched both teams when back to their sides. They all stood side by side which created a long line up and down the field. Rachel, along with the rest of her friends from glee, looked for the glee guys on the team. Rachel had already spotted Sam and Noah; they just needed to find Mike, Matt, and Finn.

"That's Finn," Kurt pointed to number five. He was all the way down the line. "He's the tallest player on the team."

"Yeah and there's Mike and Matt, they're close to Sam and Puck," Tina announced.

Rachel wanted to wish the boys luck so she walked up to the fence that separated the bleachers from the field and called out their names. It was pretty loud, but Sam and Noah were able to hear her calls. The two boys turned around and took off their helmets.

"Good luck!" Rachel smiled brightly. "I'll be cheering for you!" she raised her arms enthusiastically.

Sam and Noah both smiled. The two actually walked up to the fence and jumped so that they were at eye level with Rachel. The tiny brunette squeaked when the two held on tightly to the fence to keep them from falling back.

"Ready to see me score all those touchdowns?" Sam wink playfully. Puck saw Sam's wink and gave him a playful nudge. "Don't listen to him, he's not the one that makes the touchdowns, I am. And every touchdown I make tonight is going to be for you, my Jewish American princess," Puck told Rachel.

Rachel blushed at her new nickname. "Well go out there and kick some butt. I'll see you after the game," Rachel told him.

Puck and Sam gave Rachel one last smile before jumping down and running back to their team. Rachel watched as they went up to Mike and Matt and immediately the two turned around to wave at Rachel. She smiled and waved back at them enthusiastically.

"Rachel come over here and sit your butt down, the game is about to start," Kurt called out behind her. She looked back and Kurt was looking at her sternly pointing to the seat right next to him. She giggled and skipped back to her seat.

Everyone in the stadium stood for the national anthem which Rachel decided to sing along to. The people around her were impressed by her voice and complimented her when it was done. Rachel blushed and thanked them all.

The tiny brunette watched as the football players from both teams ran onto the field. "Is it finally going to start?" she asked.

Artie nodded, "Yup, it's about to go down," he said enthusiastically.

When Rachel saw the other team kick the ball, she knew it was going to be a good game. She didn't know why, but she felt it deep inside.

XxX

Quinn jumped up and down and did some cart wheels as she ran onto the field. It was the first game of the season and it was always full of energy. She loved moments like this. It made her body vibrate with excitement and it made her forget about everything else. But as soon as she was on the field she felt a change in the atmosphere. It was still energetic, but there was something different. It made her feel warmer than usual. Immediately she looked out to the stands and spotted the one person who had ever made her feel like that.

_Oh my…_

The blonde's heart rate picked up when she saw Rachel standing in the bleachers. She looked absolutely beautiful. Quinn was standing pretty far away from where the brunette was but even then she could see how her eyes were shining with excitement and how happy her smile was. That smile alone made everything brighter. It was stunning.

Quinn's breathing hitched when her eyes locked with Rachel's. The small brunette waved at her, causing her chest to swell with giddiness. The blonde grinned and shook her pompom at the girl. She didn't miss the big smile Rachel directed at her as she left to set up for the football team's run-through.

Once the game started Quinn started to pay more attention to the game than to Rachel, but every so often she would glance back to look at her.

After the first quarter ended the boys from McKinley were leading the game with a score of 7 to 0. Puck had scored the first touchdown with Sam's assistance. Quinn had noticed when Puck pointed to Rachel in the stands after the touchdown. She felt a pang of jealousy when she saw the brunette's flushed face.

_Whatever…_

When half-time finally arrived the boys were in the lead by three touchdowns, two of them scored by Puck, and the other scored by Sam. Despite their argument earlier that day, her boyfriend had stopped to give her a quick kiss after he scored the touchdown. She had been flattered by his gesture, but the only person she thought of in that moment was Rachel. It made Quinn feel guilty. Sam was doing so much for her and yet, here she was feeling things she shouldn't be for a girl. It just wasn't right.

The Cheerios' half-time performance had gone off without a hitch. Every one of her Cheerios had kept their moves sharp and tight. It was what she expected from her squad—perfection.

But the best part of the performance was when she looked up to the stands and saw Rachel looking at her with a smile on her face. The brunette was looking at _her_—not Santana, not Brittany, but her. The blonde's breathing had picked up which made it harder for her to perform but she got through it. At the end, she got the satisfaction of watching Rachel applaud her with a standing ovation.

"Stop cheersexing the hobbit, it's disgusting," Santana whispered in her ear as soon as they got off the field. Quinn glared at the Latina as she retreated. They had a five minute break and if she knew Santana well she was going to go off with Brittany somewhere and do god-knows-what.

As captain of the squad, Quinn didn't believe in taking a break so she stayed on the sideline and waited for the rest of the Cheerios to come back. As she waited she glanced up at the stands to see Rachel. What she saw made her see red.

Monica was sitting right next to Rachel on the bleachers with her hand on the brunette's knee. The Latina's eyes were practically undressing Rachel as the brunette talked. Quinn was furious. She had strictly told Monica to stay away from Rachel. The blonde wanted to go up there and drag the Latina away by her hair to teach her a lesson, but the second half of the game was about to start and all the Cheerios were back to set up the run-through. She couldn't do anything about it now but she sure as hell wasn't going to let it go.

_After the game, she's dead._

* * *

**Now I don't know about you guys but I loved going to my high school's football games! They were so much fun and full of school pride. It brings back memories :) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Make sure to review! Thanks again! **


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Wow, I'm really shocked by how many of you think I'd abandon this story again. The reason why I haven't updated is because I've been very busy with school and work. I'm not planning to abandon this story. My updates won't be every day but I'm not going to stop writing it. I'm not going to have a posting schedule because I'm not organized at all, but I _can_ say that I'll try to update every week or two weeks. Reviews really help though. I'm not trying to fish for compliments or anything but they do motivate me.**

_**To those of you who read this story the first time around this chapter is going to be different from the first version. I went a completely different way but we'll eventually end up in the same place at the end so don't hate me please. Thanks. **_

**disclaimer: I don't own Glee. **

* * *

For the entire second half of the game Quinn watched Monica like a hawk. The Latina practically drooled over Rachel the entire time. It was sickening to watch―not to mention irritating. Quinn didn't like the way the JV Cheerio looked at Rachel. She looked at her like some starved animal waiting to feast on its prey. Every time the Latina would lick or bite her lips it made Quinn mad. There was no way she was going to let Monica get close to Rachel. There was no telling what the Latina would do if she got her hands on Rachel. Quinn didn't even want to think about it.

When the game ended, all of the Cheerios—including the JV squad―had to stay to take down some of their signs and pick up some equipment. Once the stadium was somewhat empty, Coach Sylvester called the girls in for a meeting in the cheer room. The cheer room was connected to the Cheerios locker room. Whenever the girls were called into the cheer room it was because Sue was going to yell at them. Quinn wasn't surprised. Sue always had something to say about their performances.

Quinn stood next to Sue Sylvester as she insulted half of the girls on the team. The coach had even taken a dig at Quinn but the head Cheerio brushed it off. She was completely immune to Sue's harsh words and insults after being in the Cheerios for four years. She got used to it.

When Sue dismissed the girls to the showers so they could "wash the disgrace" off their bodies, Quinn knew it was time to pounce. Monica was one of the last girls to exit, but before the Latina was able to get out the door Quinn grabbed her by her ponytail and dragged her back into the empty room.

"What the fuck is your problem, Fabray!" Monica shrieked as the blonde threw her into the wall.

"I told you to stay away from Rachel," Quinn said icily. She glared at the Latina as the girl raised her hand to the back of her head to rub her sore scalp. The blonde had pulled her hair hard.

Monica scoffed. "Did you really think I was going to stay away from her?" she asked rhetorically. "I _like_ her. I'm not going to stay away from her just because you said so," she retorted.

Quinn walked right up to the brunette and backed her up into the wall. "I'm the boss around here, Juarez. I'm head captain of the Cheerios, both squads. You might be JV captain but to me that doesn't mean shit. You do what_ I_ say. You obey _my_ orders," the blonde hissed.

"And if I don't?" Monica pushed back. The girls' noses were practically touching.

"I will make your life a _living hell_," Quinn growled. "Don't think I'll go easy on you. You will lose everything—Cheerios, your popularity, friends. I'll make sure you end up at the bottom _alone._ No one will want to touch you with a ten foot pole."

Monica didn't want to show any weakness by giving Quinn a reaction but she had to admit she was scared. She wasn't as self-centered as the other Cheerios but she _was_ ambitious. She loved the power that being a Cheerio gave her―the attention, the popularity. She was afraid to lose it because without it she couldn't survive high school. She was a lesbian and the only way anybody at the school even tolerated it was because she was a cheerleader. She wore short skirts and tight tops so she didn't look like the stereotypical lesbian. Without that uniform she was just a dyke. She couldn't let it go.

"Fine," the Latina let out a frustrated sigh. "I'll leave Rachel alone… for now."

As much as Quinn wanted to smile victoriously she kept cool and continued to glare at Monica murderously.

"Good," Quinn spoke. "Now go home. Wash your disgrace off at your house— I don't want to see your face in the locker room."

Monica stood quiet with her jaw clenched and hands fisted. She was going to get Quinn back for this. She didn't know how yet but she was going to make the blonde suffer. The Latina was not going to back down that easily. She just needed time.

With the little dignity she had left, Monica shot a glare at Quinn one last time and walked out of the room. As soon as the girl was out of the door Quinn let out a frustrated growl. This was not the way she wanted her night to end. The entire day had been a rollercoaster of emotions and she'd hoped that it would end on a high note, but currently she found herself on a never ending loop of frustration and despair.

_Why can't something go right for once? _She asked herself.

Quinn took a moment to cool down before walking out into the locker room. It was probable that both Santana and Brittany were waiting for her to shower so they could leave together. They never left her behind.

As soon as the blonde entered the showers Santana was there to ask her why she'd seen Juarez storm out of the cheer room like a bat out of hell. Quinn simply told her that she'd noticed Monica had been losing focus lately and she just wanted to remind her what would happen if she kept it up. Santana just smirked and let the blonde shower in peace.

"So Karofsky's throwing a party, you gonna go?" Santana asked Quinn as the three girls walked out of the locker room freshly showered.

"Definitely not," Quinn grimaced. David Karofsky was the biggest douchebag in school. The only reason why she tolerated him was because he always obeyed her orders.

"I heard Sam's going," Brittany spoke up. She'd heard one of the Cheerios talk about it in the locker room.

The blonde acted indifferent. She didn't really care what Sam was doing. She needed some space and if she went to the party she knew she was going to end up babysitting him.

_Because God knows teenage boys don't know how to handle their alcohol_, she thought.

"Well I'm tots out. I think me and Britt are just gonna head to Breadstix for dinner. Wanna come with?" the Latina offered. It was supposed to be her and Brittany's date night but Santana kind of felt bad for her best friend.

Quinn thought about it and eventually agreed. She didn't have anything to do and she _was _kind of hungry.

"Cool, let's go. I heard Puckerman was going to take Berry there. Maybe we'll get to see how disastrous their date is going," the Latina snickered.

The head Cheerio was suddenly very anxious to get to Breadstix. She got in her car and followed Santana and Brittany in the Latina's car. They had driven to school separately because Santana and Brittany had decided to ditch first period to have sex. It really annoyed Quinn how horny the two girls could be.

When they arrived the three girls immediately spotted Puck's truck in the parking lot. The blonde ended up parking a few cars away from the dinky old truck. She was surprised the thing still worked. It was ancient.

As they approached the entrance to the restaurant Quinn started to get nervous. Her heart was beating a little faster than usual as they walked in. She began to look around as soon as she was inside. She couldn't find them anywhere.

"I wonder where they're at. Knowing Puckerman he probably got them a booth somewhere in the back so they could be alone," the Latina snickered. She was also looking around for the pair.

Quinn glared at her.

The hostess showed up before Quinn could say anything and led the girls to their table. As soon as they entered the main dining room they spotted Puck and Rachel sitting in a booth in the back of the restaurant. Quinn narrowed her eyes at the pair. They were sitting opposite of each other and both had their hands to themselves. The two seemed to be smiling at each other but there was nothing romantic about it. They just looked like two friends having dinner. Still, the blonde couldn't help but feel a bit tense about the situation.

The girls were seated in a booth on the opposite side of the room. It was perfect because they were seated at an angle where they could see Puck and Rachel but it was hard for them to see the girls.

"So do you think Puck will get lucky?" Santana asked the girls as soon as the hostess left.

Quinn answered immediately. "No."

Both the Latina and Brittany looked at her. Santana raised a brow at Quinn.

"What?" the blonde snapped. She didn't like the way the Latina was looking at her.

"Why are you so sure the hobbit won't give it up?" Santana smirked.

The Latina found Quinn and Rachel's new found friendship interesting. She didn't like it, but it intrigued her. The blonde couldn't stand the tiny girl when she first moved to town and now it seemed like they were the best of friends. It really bothered her.

"Berry told me she's not into Puckerman. She's just going out with him as a friend or whatever," the head Cheerio answered indifferently.

"Did she tell you that while you two were making out in the restroom?" the Latina teased.

The blonde acted indifferent by rolling her eyes, but internally she was trying really hard not to blush. Santana's teasing was getting suspicious and Quinn didn't like it.

"Do you always have to be such a bitch?" Quinn retorted.

The Latina gave a smirk and shrugged. "You know me, Q."

Before the conversation could go any further their waitress arrived and asked for their drink order. Quinn and Santana ordered water but Brittany was having a hard time choosing what she wanted to drink. While Santana helped her girlfriend choose, Quinn glanced over at Rachel and Puck's table. She noticed they were both laughing. To the blonde it actually seemed like Rachel was having a good time.

Quinn wanted to be happy for Rachel—it was her first date after all―but it made her feel uneasy. She didn't like seeing Puck and Rachel together, no matter how many times she repeated Rachel's words in her head about her feelings for Puck being platonic.

When the waitress left the blonde's attention was back on her friends, but every so often she would glance over at Rachel and Puck. Each time she would look over she'd find them laughing or smiling at each other. She'd even caught the tiny brunette feeding Puck something off of her plate. The gesture made Quinn's stomach twist.

"Well isn't that cute," Santana muttered sarcastically. It seemed Quinn wasn't the only one who had caught the gesture.

"Why is Rachel feeding Puck? Is he like a baby or something? Rachel does look like she'd be a good mom," Brittany commented.

The Latina looked at the taller blonde with a small smile and pecked her cheek. It was cute. Quinn found it nauseating. First it was Rachel and Puck and now it was Santana and Brittany. She needed some air.

"I'll be back," Quinn said as she stood from the small booth. "I'm going to the little girl's room."

"Okay, but if you come back and your food is gone don't blame us," the Santana retorted. Quinn shot her a dirty look as she retreated.

The blonde had originally thought of going to the girl's bathroom but as she passed the entrance to the restaurant she decided to go outside instead. As she stood by the entrance she looked around the parking lot and her eyes landed on Puck's truck. Just looking at it annoyed her. She couldn't believe that Puck had driven Rachel around in that thing. The girl was used to glamorous things. She deserved more than being driven around in some shitty truck that probably wasn't even safe.

_My car is definitely safer than that _thing_, _she thought. _The heater it in probably doesn't even work and its cold outside. Rachel is going to freeze to death. What kind of first date is that? _

Quinn glanced at her car and smiled. Her car's heater worked. It definitely wouldn't break down since it was almost brand new.

An idea struck the blonde and she smiled wickedly. She looked around the parking lot as she walked to her car, making sure there was nobody around. When she saw that she was the only one in the lot she opened the truck of her car and grabbed the tool box she always had in there in case of emergencies. She opened it and looked for what she needed. Once she spotted the pointy object she grabbed it and stuffed it in her jacket pocket. She shut the trunk and looked around again.

Stealthily, Quinn walked over to Puck's truck and crouched down next to his front tire. She looked around for witnesses one more time before taking the screwdriver out from her pocket. She inspected the wall of the tire before grasping the screwdriver securely in both hands and stabbing it. There was a loud woosh as the air expelled from the tire. The force of it caused the blonde to fall back on her butt but she quickly got up and ran back to her car. She opened the trunk and threw the screwdriver in there.

She looked around again and laughed when she realized she hadn't gotten caught. Her heart was beating fast and she was panting like she had just run a mile but she felt good. There was no way Puck was going to be able to take Rachel home now. Good thing she was there to offer her a ride.

Quinn walked back into the restaurant with a big smile on her face. When she got back to her booth she was surprised Santana and Brittany weren't making out like they usually did every time she left the room, instead they were gazing intently across the room at Rachel and Puck's table. Their waitress seemed to be refilling their drinks.

"What's going on?" Quinn asked as she sat down.

"Shh," Santana shushed her, "Just watch."

Quinn looked over and watched as the waitress finished refilling Rachel's water. The waitress was about to grab Puck's glass when the pitcher full of water slipped from her hand and landed in the boy's lap. Puck let out a loud gasp and the waitress screeched an apology. Quinn couldn't help but laugh. She turned around to face Santana. "You did that?" the blonde questioned. There was no doubt in her mind that the Latina had somehow been involved.

Santana smiled smugly. "Of course, but keep watching. It's going to get better."

The blonde did as the she said and looked back. The waitress was now on her knees rubbing Puck's crotch with a wet cloth. The look on Puck's face was priceless. Anybody could tell that he was turned on. He looked like he wanted to grab the girl and take her up against the wall.

When she looked over at Rachel she noticed the tiny brunette looked amused. She had an eyebrow raised at the waitress but a small smile graced her lips. She didn't look upset or jealous. Quinn thought it was a good thing because people only felt jealous when the person they _liked_ was given attention from others.

"How in the hell did you arrange that?" Quinn asked as she turned back to Santana.

The Latina shrugged. "Easy, I told her I'd throw a slushy in her face if she didn't do it."

Quinn rolled her eyes. Of course she would threaten the poor girl. It wasn't like Santana could ever ask for anything nicely.

"So where were you? And don't give me that shit about going to the restroom, I saw you go outside," Santana narrowed her eyes at her.

Quinn remained indifferent. "I needed some air," she shrugged.

Anybody else would have believed her but Santana knew better. She wanted to call her out on it but Brittany was there and she didn't want to have this conversation in front of her. Brittany had a habit of taking Quinn's side during arguments so it was better if she talked to the blonde in private. There she could grill the head Cheerio all she wanted without her girlfriend interfering.

Almost a few moments later the girls' food was brought to their table and their conversation seized. Of course, Quinn couldn't help but glance over at the pair across the room throughout her meal. Puck had ordered dessert and had tried to feed Rachel a piece of tiramisu. The brunette had first declined but then gave in and made a scrunched up face after tasting it. A small smile pulled at Quinn's lips.

The blonde was almost done with her food when she noticed Rachel and Puck were getting ready to leave. The mohawked boy had helped Rachel out of her seat and the two began to walk in Quinn's direction. Quinn tried to keep cool as she saw them approach but she couldn't stop her heart from pounding in her chest when she made eye contact with the tiny brunette.

"Quinn!" Rachel smiled brightly when she spotted the blonde.

Quinn's heart swelled when she saw how happy the brunette was to see her. She couldn't help but smile smugly at Puck as they got closer. The boy wasn't exactly thrilled that they had run into the three Cheerios.

"Oh God, they spotted us," Quinn heard Santana mutter. She turned to the Latina and glared at her.

"Be nice, San. I like Rachel, remember? And she looks really happy to see us," Brittany added.

"Yeah, yeah," Santana grumbled as Rachel walked up to their booth, alone.

"Hi Quinn, Brittany," Rachel grinned, then looked over at Santana and grimaced, "Santana."

Santana ignored the brunette's grimace and smirked, "Sup Berry, ready to give it up to Puckerman?"

Quinn glared at Santana and then looked to Rachel to hear her response. She knew the brunette wasn't going to be giving up anything but she was still curious to hear her response.

Rachel just rolled her eyes at the Latina. "Noah and I are just friends, Santana. We actually discussed it tonight and thought it was best if we didn't pursue a romantic relationship."

"Yeah, sure Berry," Santana snickered and went back to her food.

Brittany looked up at Rachel and smiled. "I think that's cool, Rach. It's totally better that you and Puck aren't going out 'cause he totally wants to have sexy times with your waitress," Brittany pointed to Puckerman and the waitress from earlier flirting by the hostess stand.

Rachel looked over and laughed. "He could have at least waited until the date was over."

"That's Puck for you," Quinn muttered. She didn't know whether to be thrilled or disturbed by Puck's inappropriate flirting. He was still on a date with Rachel which meant he shouldn't have been flirting with other girls.

Rachel turned to Quinn. "Well I just came over here to congratulate you girls. You were amazing tonight," she smiled bashfully.

Quinn felt a tingling in her stomach and tried to remain calm as Rachel stared into her eyes. Had she meant to say that Quinn was amazing? Because to the blonde it sounded like she had directed it to her.

"Thank you, Rachel. I'm glad you enjoyed it," Quinn replied with a small smile.

The brunette gave her a small nod and turned towards Brittany and Santana. "You girls were great also. Even you, Santana," Rachel smirked.

The Latina rolled her eyes. "Yeah whatever, you mind?" Santana pointed to her food, "I'm eating here and you're face is making me nauseous."

"San!" Brittany scolded. Quinn also glared at the Latina. She was going to make her run extra laps for saying that.

Rachel brushed off the insult like it was nothing. She'd heard worse from her peers at Dalton.

"Yes, well I guess I should get going. You girls have a good night," Rachel smiled and then left.

Quinn watched as the brunette met up with Puck by the hostess stand and took his arm. Puck gave the waitress he'd been flirting with a wink and the two left the restaurant arm in arm. She knew that at any moment now Puck was going to discover his slashed tire. Knowing the boy, she knew he'd most likely change the tire but then Rachel would be outside in the cold waiting for him to do it. She had to get out there quick.

The blonde looked down at her food and noticed she was almost done, but when she looked over at Santana and Brittany she saw that they were barely half way done with their meals. If she wanted to offer Rachel a ride home she'd have to leave now.

Discreetly, Quinn grabbed her cellphone from her pocket and went into her sound settings. She found her mother's designated ringtone and tapped on it so it could play. Once her phone started to ring she brought it out of her pocket like if her mother was actually calling her and pretended to answer the phone.

"Hey mom," she spoke into the phone. Both Brittany and Santana looked on. They knew it must have been her mother she was talking to.

Quinn pretended to be listening to someone speak and nodded. "Ok mom, I'll be right there. Bye." The blonde 'hung up'.

"What happened, Q?" Santana asked. It was rare when Quinn mother called her. She was always too drunk to do so.

"My mom wants me home. She didn't say why but it's better if I just leave," Quinn said indifferently. She grabbed her wallet form her purse and took out a twenty. "Here," she put the bill down on the table, "That should cover my food."

"Right, well text me when you get home. If you need anything just let us know," The Latina offered. She knew how Quinn's mother could get when she was drunk off her ass.

"Thanks, I'll see you guys later," Quinn stood up from her seat and smiled at her friends before heading out. She smiled at the waitress as she walked out of the restaurant. Once she was out she looked around for Puck and Rachel. She smiled smugly when she found Puck cussing like a sailor, crouched down by his front tire. Rachel stood by him with her arms wrapped around herself trying to keep warm.

_Looks like it's time to save the day,_ Quinn thought as she approached them.

"Hey, is everything alright?" the blonde made her presence known.

Puck looked up from when he was and let out a frustrated sigh. "Some dickhead stabbed my tire. I'm going to have to change it, which means I'm going to be out here forever and I'm freezing my ass off."

"Oh, that's too bad," Quinn said nonchalantly. Puck glared at her. The blonde looked over at Rachel and noticed she was shaking from the cold.

"Rachel you're freezing," the blonde stated. Rachel smiled weakly but didn't say anything. She was probably too cold to speak.

Quinn looked down at Puck, "Maybe I should take Rachel home, Puckerman. You might be out here for hours and Berry looks like she's about to turn into a Popsicle."

Puck sighed and looked over at Rachel. She was trembling. The brunette smiled at him but stayed quiet. It was obvious she wanted to accept the offer. So he stood up and walked over to the brunette and hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Rach. I really wanted this date to end well. Even though we're just friends I kinda wanted to do the whole walk-you-to-the-door thing," he chuckled.

Rachel giggled and hugged him tightly.

Quinn watched on with jealousy bubbling in her stomach. She was trying to keep calm but they were holding each other really tight.

"It's okay, Noah. I'm sure we can go on other friend dates," Rachel said sweetly.

"Promise?" he raised a brow.

Rachel nodded with a grin.

"Okay, well you better call me when you get home. I want to make sure my Jewish-American princess gets home safe," he teased.

The brunette rolled her eyes and giggled, giving him one last hug. She was a little caught off guard when Puck leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. Immediately her cheeks turned red. She thought it was sweet for him to give her a good night kiss but Quinn was standing only a few feet away and she didn't want the blonde to think anything of it.

"Okay well, good night Noah. I'll call you," Rachel said bashfully as she pulled away from the boy. He gave her a nod and let her go.

The brunette wrapped her arms around herself again to shield herself from the cold and walked over to Quinn. Rachel noticed the blonde was glaring at Puck. She didn't know why she was looking at him like that but she guessed it was because of her general dislike for the boy.

"Thank you for offering to take me home, Quinn. If I would have brought a thicker jacket I would've stayed with Noah but I'm not wearing anything but a bra underneath this blazer," Rachel said to Quinn once she reached her.

The shocked expression on the blonde's face made Rachel giggle. It was endearing.

"You're kidding," Quinn's voice cracked.

Rachel shook her head. "No, Kurt thought it'd ruin the sex appeal of the outfit if I wore a camisole underneath. I wished I would have worn it after all, sex appeal be damned," she chuckled.

"Well you definitely look sexy," Rachel heard Puck say behind her. The brunette turned around and rolled her eyes at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be fixing your tire, Puckerman?" Quinn hissed.

Rachel turned back to Quinn. She looked like she could kill the boy at any moment. The brunette had never seen her look so menacing before. It was kind of scary.

"Aren't you supposed to be taking home my jewbabe, Fabray," Puck retorted.

The brunette noticed Quinn didn't say anything, she just continued to stare daggers at Puck. After glaring at the boy for a few more seconds the blonde turned to Rachel.

"Are you ready to go?" Quinn asked.

Rachel was taken aback by the blonde's penetrating gaze. The brunette knew Quinn wasn't upset with her but the look in her eyes gave her chills.

Rachel nodded quietly and almost instantly Quinn's eyes softened. "Okay, my car is over here. Come on," the blonde gave her a small smile.

A shy smile pulled on Rachel's lips as she followed the blonde to her car. She looked back at Puck one last time and waved goodbye. The mohawked boy smiled and waved back. "You better call me!" he called out.

Rachel nodded before going around the car and losing sight of Puck. She turned back to look in front of her and noticed Quinn had the passenger door open for her. The brunette tried not to blush. She thought it was very chivalrous of Quinn to open her door for her. She expected it from boys but not a girl like Quinn. If anything Quinn seemed like the type of girl who liked _her_ doors to be opened for her.

The tiny girl mumbled a small "thanks" before ducking into the car. It smelled really good inside. _Like Quinn_, she thought.

She watched the blonde walk around the car and get into the driver's seat. Once Quinn was inside she quickly turned on the car and turned up the heater. As soon as Rachel felt the warm air hit her she let out a small sigh of content.

"Warm?" the brunette heard beside her.

She turned to look at Quinn and nodded bashfully. "I didn't expect it to be so cold tonight. I knew it would be chilly, but it was freezing out there," Rachel commented.

"It doesn't get this cold in New York?" the Cheerio questioned her as they drove out of the parking lot.

"Yes, but usually later in the year. It's late September, it shouldn't be freezing," Rachel argued.

Quinn chuckled and the brunette looked at her and smiled. Rachel had never found someone's laughter to be charming before. It made the brunette feel warm inside whenever she would hear Quinn laugh, which was rare. She wished the blonde laughed more often.

"Thanks again for offering me a ride home, it was really nice of you," Rachel spoke after a quick moment of silence. She watched as the blonde smiled but kept her eyes on the road. Watching Quinn drive was fascinating. She didn't know why but she liked seeing the blonde behind the wheel.

"It's no problem, Rachel," the blonde simply replied.

"I'm just glad you were there. I figured you, Brittany, and Santana would have attended the victory party David was throwing at his house. I know Sam was going to be there so I assumed you would be too," Rachel commented.

When she heard Noah say that David Karofsky was throwing a victory party and that all the football players and Cheerios were attending, Rachel immediately thought of Quinn. The girl was head Cheerio which meant she had to make an appearance. The brunette had never attended a typical high school party but she'd seen them in movies all the time and the most popular girls usually attended.

"Well it's a good thing I didn't go, or else you'd still be out in the freezing cold," Quinn replied with a smirk.

Rachel nodded shyly but still wondered why the blonde hadn't gone to the party. Had it been because of Sam? She knew for sure he was going to be there because he saw the boy get into his truck with Mike, Matt, and Finn. They were all headed to the party.

"While I'm glad that you decided not to attend the party and instead saved me from turning into some frozen dessert, I'm curious to know why you didn't go. Isn't a custom for all the popular kids to attend those types of parties?" the brunette inquired.

Quinn raised a brow at her. "Did you really say all that just to ask me why I didn't go?" the blonde said with an amused smile.

Rachel blushed and thanked God it was dark. Quinn could have spotted her blush from a mile away had there been light. But by the way the blonde was looking at her it seemed Quinn could still see her blushing. The tiny diva was embarrassed.

The Cheerio cut her some slack and just answered her question without further teasing her.

"I didn't feel like going to be honest. I don't really like Karofsky and there was no reason for me to go. I usually go to accompany Sam but he and I aren't really talking right now," the blonde confessed.

Rachel gulped. She knew why they weren't talking but she'd figured that the pair would have made up by now. Sam was supposed to have apologized to her and then everything was supposed to be okay. It must have not worked out that way.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you and Sam not speaking?" the brunette inquired. She wanted to hear Quinn's side of the story.

Quinn looked at her and shrugged. "We just needed time away from each other—space," she answered.

_Yes, but why do you need space?_ Rachel wanted to ask. It was obvious the blonde didn't want to go into detail about it and she wasn't going to force her to. It was just that she felt bad about the situation. Sam really cared for her.

"But Sam really loves you," the brunette blurted out. She didn't know if this was her trying to help Sam but it had just slipped out of her mouth.

Quinn's expression remained stoic as she answered. "I know."

It was silent in the car for a moment as Rachel thought about the blonde's answer. She had seemed so indifferent about it, like it wasn't a big deal that someone was madly in love with her. It made brunette question if Quinn loved him back. Without even thinking about it the brunette blurted out the words.

"Do _you_ love him?"

Quinn turned to the brunette and watched as Rachel's eyes widened in panic. If it wasn't for the question itself, she would have laughed at the expression on the tiny girl's face.

"You don't have to answer that! I'm so sorry, it just slipped out. It was inappropriate-"

"Rachel Stop," Quinn interjected. She wanted to stop the girl from apologizing.

The blonde was conflicted as to whether she should answer the question truthfully or not. She knew she wasn't in love with Sam, but that wasn't what Rachel had asked. The brunette asked if she loved him, and she did―just not in the way he wanted her to. So she could easily answer yes and let Rachel believe she was in love with Sam, but a part of her wanted to tell the truth. Her gut—or whatever it was―was telling her to tell the brunette she wasn't in love with Sam. Why? She didn't know.

"I don't mind answering your question. We're friends now, remember?" the blonde said calmly. She looked over at Rachel and the tiny girl looked relieved.

"So… do you? You know, love him," the brunette asked, again.

Quinn's heart was beating really fast. She was hoping Rachel couldn't see how nervous the question made her.

"I really care about him and I _do_ love him, but I'm not in love with him," the blonde finally answered.

She was surprised by how good it felt to finally admit it to someone. Everybody just assumed that since her and Sam had been together for almost a year that they were happily in love. It was true for Sam, but not for her.

Quinn glanced at Rachel to gauge her reaction and saw the tiny brunette looking down at her hands in her lap. She was quiet and had yet to say anything in response to the blonde's confession. It was actually making Quinn nervous again. Why wasn't she saying anything? Was she disappointed? If she was, why was she disappointed?

The Cheerio had her eyes back on the road when she heard Rachel's small voice.

"Have you ever been in love?"

She turned to look at Rachel almost instantly. The brunette was gazing at her with her big, brown glossy eyes.

Quinn knew the answer was no. She had never been in love and she hardly believed in it. It wasn't realistic to her; or it _hadn't_ been. Now she wasn't sure. Her feelings for Rachel were more than that of a high school crush, but was it love?

"No, I've never been in love," Quinn answered indifferently, her eyes back on the road.

"Oh," replied the tiny diva. "Neither have I. As a matter of fact, I've never even had a boyfriend."

A small smile pulled on Quinn's lips. She kind of figured Rachel had never had a boyfriend when the tiny brunette mentioned her date with Puckerman was going to be her first real date. She honestly thought it was ridiculous. The girl was seventeen and she had never had a boyfriend. Now, Quinn knew that not all girls had boyfriends in high school—but then again―not all girls looked like Rachel Berry. She just didn't get it.

"I find that hard to believe," the blonde told her. "I mean, even Puck wanted to date you. And I mean _date_ you, not just try to get into your pants."

"Noah is the exception. He's the only one who's ever made an effort," Rachel smiled sadly. "It's unfortunate that I only have platonic feelings for him. I would have loved for him to have had been my first boyfriend."

Quinn rolled her eyes and tried not to gag. Puckerman would have been a shitty boyfriend, even with his new attitude. He would have slipped up. _He always does_ the blonde thought.

"Well it seems Puckerman took the whole 'just friends' thing well. How did you break it to him anyway?" Quinn asked. She didn't want to think about Puck and Rachel being in a relationship. It made her nauseous.

"It was hard. I didn't really know how to tell him because I didn't want to hurt his feelings but then I thought about how much more it would hurt if I led him on and then broke his heart so I just blurted it out. He looked a bit disappointed at first but then he said he understood and that he would rather have me in his life as a friend than not at all. I thought it was really sweet," the brunette rambled.

Even though Quinn thought Rachel was adorable for rambling she still rolled her eyes at Puck's cliché response.

"You don't like him very much, do you?" she heard the brunette ask with amusement.

She glanced over at Rachel. "What makes you say that?" Quinn remained stoic.

Rachel chuckled. "Well for starters, every time I mention him you roll your eyes and purse your lips with distaste."

Quinn had to laugh at that. She _did_ always roll her eyes at the mention of Puck. Although, she never realized she also pursed her lips. Rachel was the first person to point it out. It made her wonder if the brunette was observant of other people's small gestures as well or if it was just her.

"Puck and I have never really been close," Quinn admitted hesitantly. She really didn't want to open that can of worms. Puck was a topic she did not like to talk about, nor think about. She had her reasons for disliking him, but now that he had tried to pursue Rachel she disliked him even more.

"I kind of figured that one out. I hope you don't get upset but Kurt mentioned to me that you and Noah have history," Rachel informed her. The brunette was a bit hesitant in admitting it. She didn't want Quinn to get upset because Kurt had told her. She just wanted to know what really happened. She wanted to hear it from Quinn herself.

The blonde only raised a brow. Rachel and Kurt had been talking about her? She didn't know whether to be flattered or mad about it. It all depended on what they had discussed. Puck was obviously brought up since she had asked about it. She just wanted to know how much Kurt had told her about the subject.

"What exactly did Kurt tell you?" she turned to the brunette. She noticed Rachel tensed up a bit. She didn't know whether it was a good sign or a bad one.

"Well, he really didn't say much. He just mentioned that you and Noah had once been involved with each other," Rachel answered. She tried really hard not to mention the fact that Kurt had told her about their 'hook up.' She didn't want to make it awkward by asking Quinn if she really had sex with him.

Quinn was a bit annoyed with Kurt. It wasn't really any of his business to be telling Rachel those kinds of things about her. But then again, most of McKinley knew about what had gone down between her and Puckerman. It was just something she wasn't proud of and didn't want Rachel knowing about.

"Did he also tell you that it lasted for only a minute?" the blonde quipped. It was a bit tense in the car and she wanted to lighten the mood a bit.

Rachel turned to Quinn and let out a chuckle. "Yes, he did mention that. It's just…" Rachel paused and looked down at her hands, "I imagine something unpleasant must have happened between you two if it ended with the both of you disliking each other."

Quinn could definitely agree it was unpleasant. She didn't like to think about that dreadful night she lost her virginity to the school's manwhore just because she got too drunk off of wine coolers. The worst part was that everybody had found out by the following Monday and all Puck did was brag about nailing the head Cheerio. It was disgusting.

"I don't like to think about it," the blonde said stoically. It was definitely not the best time to talk about it. Her night was going so well and she didn't want to ruin it by talking about something that happened two years ago.

Rachel got the hint and dropped the subject. She didn't mean to bring up anything unpleasant for Quinn but she couldn't help her curiosity. She hoped that maybe one day the blonde would be comfortable enough to tell her. For now she was just going to have to work on their tentative friendship. She didn't want to get too ahead of herself.

The drive continued to be silent. Quinn felt bad for cutting the conversation short. She didn't mean for it to end but she also didn't know what to say to keep it going. The silence was comfortable so it wasn't all that bad, she just didn't want to end the night like this.

"So did you like the football game?" the blonde finally broke the silence. They were only a few blocks away from the Berry's home.

"Yes!" Rachel answered excitedly. "It's was very thrilling. I had never been to an event like that. I already made Kurt promise me that he'll attend other games with me. It was a great experience."

Quinn chuckled. She was happy with the prospect of Rachel attending every game. She didn't mind seeing her face when she looked out into the crowd. Quinn actually preferred it.

"I honestly never imagined football to be so exciting. Back at my old school there weren't many sporting events to attend. Mostly they were all just focused on the arts," Rachel explained.

It was hard for Quinn to believe that Rachel never did any normal teenage things like go to football games or any other sporting events. It made her wonder about the brunette's life back in New York. So far the girl had been very hush about her life prior to moving to Lima.

"What school did you go to? It sounds pretty boring," Quinn joked. Cheerleading was her life so she couldn't imagine going to a school where the sport didn't even exist.

Rachel just smiled. "I attended Dalton Academy of the Arts. Not to be confused with the Dalton School. There's a lot of Daltons," she laughed.

Quinn raised a brow. "So you attended an arts school? That explains a lot." She chuckled.

Rachel narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Her tone wasn't harsh. She just wanted to know what Quinn had meant by her statement. Was it a good thing or was it a bad thing? She knew art schools had their stereotypes but she could guarantee the blonde that she didn't fall under any type of stereotype because she was nothing like the kids back at her old school.

Quinn noticed Rachel had gotten a bit defensive and if she was being completely honest she found it a bit endearing.

"It means that you are ridiculously talented. Seriously, I was kind of blown away when you sang that song in the auditorium," she answered.

Rachel blushed as the blonde spoke. She knew she was talented but it was still nice to hear it from others, especially Quinn.

"Thank you, Quinn. You're very talented as well. You have a lovely singing voice," the brunette responded.

Quinn almost rolled her eyes. Sure her voice was okay but it was nothing compared to Rachel's.

"Maybe we could sing a duet sometime?" Rachel asked hesitantly.

She wasn't sure if asking Quinn to duet with her was a good idea since their friendship was still kind of new, but Rachel knew that singing a duet was something special and it created a bond between two people. It would help their friendship grow.

Rachel watched as Quinn thought it over and sighed in relief when the blonde looked over at her and smiled.

"It would be an honor," Quinn told her.

Rachel's heart leaped in her chest. She was so excited about the thought of singing with Quinn that she didn't realize they had arrived at the gates of her home. Disappointment washed over her. She didn't want her night to end yet.

"Do I have to type in a password or something?" Quinn asked Rachel as she rolled down her windows and looked at the stainless steel security panel.

"No, just press that green button," Rachel instructed.

Quinn did as she was told and a woman's voice asked for her name. Rachel gave her full name and instantly the gate opened. It was very impressive.

"That's pretty cool," the blonde commented as she drove up the long drive way.

"Cool indeed. My father's security system is pretty impressive. I have to use a fingerprint scanner to access my room," Rachel informed her.

Quinn raised a brow. The brunette laughed.

"You should definitely come over sometime so I can show you. You know, now that we're friends," Rachel told her.

Quinn swallowed hard. "Yeah, sure," she said coolly. The brunette just smiled at her.

When they reached the house Quinn parked a few feet away from the door. She didn't know how she was supposed to say goodbye to Rachel. The night was definitely not long enough. She knew it was unlikely but she hoped to see Rachel before school on Monday. It was nice to talk to her alone. It was a bit nerve-wracking but it was the only way she could speak comfortably with her. When everybody else was around she had to be the HBIC everybody expected her to be.

"So I believe this is it," Rachel sighed. She turned to Quinn and gave her a small smile. "Thank you again for bringing me home, Quinn. I really appreciate it."

Quinn shook her head. "No need to thank me. It was no problem. Next time make sure you wear a thicker jacket though. I might not always be there to rescue you," the blonde joked.

"That's unfortunate," Rachel smirked. "I wouldn't mind being rescued by you more often."

The blonde's heart pounded in her chest. Had Rachel just flirted with her? She didn't know much about flirting with girls but she was pretty sure that the brunette had just made a very flirty comment. It had her blushing.

"I'll keep that in mind," Quinn replied bashfully.

The blonde watched Rachel get out of the car and walk up to the door. Something didn't feel right. It was Rachel's first date and here she was walking up to her door all alone. Quinn knew it was cliché but every girl deserved to be walked to her door on her very first date. Sure, Quinn wasn't the one who took Rachel out but she could do this one little thing for her. It was the right thing to do.

With her heart hammering in her chest she opened her door and rushed out.

"Rachel wait," she called out. The brunette stopped mid-way and turned around.

The blonde rushed to her side. Rachel looked up at her worried.

"What's wrong, Quinn?" she asked, concerned.

"Um… I just wanted to walk you to your door. Since Puckerman isn't here to do it I figured I'd do the honors," she told her, a bit shaky.

The smile on Rachel's face was so big she couldn't help but return it. Her face had lit up so brightly that Quinn immediately felt some relief. She didn't think that what she was doing was so silly after all. Not if it made Rachel smile like that.

"That is so chivalrous of you, Quinn! I'd be honored if you walked me to my door," Rachel grinned.

The two walked side by side to the front door. They didn't say anything to each other but they couldn't stop smiling. Finally when they got to the door they both turned to each other.

"This is usually the part when the kiss happens, right?" Rachel spoke.

Quinn's eyes widen dramatically. A kiss? She was not ready to kiss Rachel. She just wanted to walk the girl to her door. When she heard the brunette laugh she furrowed her eyebrows and Rachel smiled sweetly at her.

"I was just kidding, Quinn," she giggled. "Besides, I don't kiss on the first date," Rachel teased.

The blonde sighed in relief and laughed. She almost felt like she was going to have a panic attack. Rachel's flirty side was going to be the death of her. She felt like some bumbling fool. It was definitely hard to keep her composure when the brunette was messing with her.

"You _wish_ we were on a date, Berry," Quinn huffed.

She was only teasing the brunette of course. It seemed the only way to react to the brunette's teasing was to go along with it. She didn't want Rachel to actually think she was affected by it.

The brunette laughed and then took a step forward to hug Quinn. The blonde wasn't quite prepared for it so her arms went around awkwardly and she ended up with one of her hands on Rachel's butt. The brunette must not have felt it because she didn't say anything. Quinn was glad for that. Her face was completely flushed in embarrassment.

"We should do this again. It seems giving each other rides is kind of our thing," Rachel said once she broke their hug.

Quinn just nodded. "Sure"

"Okay," the brunette smiled. She turned to the double doors and opened one of them. Quinn turned around and was about to walk back to her car when she heard Rachel call out her name.

"Quinn," the brunette called out.

The blonde turned around. "Yeah?"

Quinn watched as the brunette bit her lip. "Since we're friends now, is it okay if I have your phone number?"

A smirked grew on Quinn's face. She felt some kind of satisfaction from having Rachel ask for her number.

"Sure," the blonde shrugged. "Just no prank calls, alright? If I get any tonight I'll know it's you."

Rachel rolled her eyes and laughed. She took out her phone and passed it to the blonde so she could put her number on it. Quinn quickly entered her digits and handed it back to the brunette.

"Good night, Quinn," Rachel smiled before walking into her house and shutting the door.

"Good night, Rachel," Quinn whispered as she watched the door close.

* * *

**So what did you all think? Let me know. **

**P.S. I don't think I've mentioned this but Quinn was never pregnant in this fic so Beth won't be an issue. They just hooked up and that's it. **


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Guys i'm so sorry for the delay in update. I had to study for finals and I had no time to write. I hope you understand. I just finished this chapter and I had no time to edit it so there's going to be many mistakes. I'm going to come back to it later and edit but I just really wanted to put it out there for you guys so I hope you enjoy it!**

**disclaimer: I do not own Glee. **

* * *

Quinn didn't know what to think anymore. She was driving home from Rachel's house trying to think of what she was going to do. It was obvious she liked Rachel. But what was she going to do? What _could_ she do? Was she gay? There was so much to figure out. It was confusing. She really needed to get her shit together.

The blonde was practically vibrating in her seat from nerves. Her feelings at the moment were so overwhelming that all she wanted to do was go home and sleep. She hoped that a good night's sleep could clear her mind a little and she could work out all of her conflicting emotions. The problem was that ever since she'd met Rachel the girl had consumed her mind and she hadn't been able to push thoughts of the brunette away. She was always on her mind.

She continued to replay her conversation with Rachel as she drove home. She remembered the way Rachel flirted with her. It made Quinn's heart swell just thinking back to it. It was great seeing that side of her. She was always so cute and proper and tonight she was sexy and playful. The blonde liked it, a lot.

Quinn was brought out of her thoughts by her ringing cell phone. She huffed in annoyance and grabbed her phone from her cup holder. She brought it up so she could see who it was without having to take her eyes off the road. A picture of her and Sam covered her screen. It was Sam. She didn't even think twice before ignoring the call. She was not in the mood to talk to him, especially if he was drunk. She just hoped he wasn't too drunk that they were calling her to pick him up.

A few seconds passed and her phone began to ring again. It was Sam. This time she chose to let her phone ring. Once it was done ringing it stayed silent for a few seconds before it began to ring another time. Quinn wanted to grab her phone and toss it out the window. She was having such a good night and Sam was ruining it with his persistence. She was actually considering answering him so she could tell him to stop calling her. Thankfully, he stopped calling after the third call.

Quinn was almost home when she received a text message. The blonde was pretty sure it was from Sam but she didn't forget that she had just given her number to Rachel. Maybe it was from her? She knew better than to text and drive so she was going to have to wait 'til she got home to see who it was from. Good thing she was only down the block.

She sped up a little and drove faster than usual until she got to her house and parked in the driveway. Once she was parked she grabbed her phone and looked at her messages. She was filled with disappointment when she saw it had been a message from Sam and not Rachel.

_Hey where r u? Im outside ur house – S_

Quinn looked up from her phone and looked around. She had been too preoccupied thinking she had gotten a text from Rachel that she hadn't noticed Sam's truck parked in front of her house. She immediately unbuckled herself and stepped out of her car. She spotted Sam leaning against his truck.

"What are you doing here, Sam?" Quinn whisper yelled as she approached him. It was late and she didn't want her neighbors to come out and investigate. They were very nosy.

"I needed to see you," he told her. His speech wasn't slurred so he wasn't drunk. Quinn was glad for that. She didn't like talking to him when he was drunk.

"I'm tired, Sam. I just want to go to bed," she told him. It wasn't like she was lying to him. She was exhausted.

"I know, I'm sorry for bothering you but you haven't talked to me since glee and I want to make sure things are cool between us. I don't like us not talking," he confessed.

Quinn sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to get rid of him if she didn't let him talk.

"Ok fine," she conceded. The blonde walked over to him.

A smile grew on his face and she felt a bit guilty for acted so mean towards him. She just couldn't help it, though. He was annoying.

The two blondes stood in front of each other next to Sam's truck. Sam had his hands in his letterman jacket pockets while Quinn stood with her arms crossed over her chest. It was pretty tense between the two.

"Look, I'm sorry about today," Sam started, "It wasn't cool for me to go look for you when you didn't want me to. It's just that I'm really worried about you, Quinn. Lately I've felt like you don't want me anymore and it really scares me."

Quinn felt a bit guilty. He was right. She had been distant with him all week. Though, she hadn't known why until today when she realized it was because she was developing feelings for someone else. Rachel.

The blonde swallowed hard and looked up at Sam. She could see how distressed he was. The guilt grew.

"I'm sorry too," she whispered, "for freaking out. You didn't deserve to be yelled at."

He shook his head. "No, it's okay. You don't have to say you're sorry. I just want you to tell me what I can do so that you don't feel like I'm smothering you. I love you and I don't want to lose you."

Quinn watched as Sam practically begged for her not to leave him. She felt really bad for making him feel like this. A month ago she would have been pleased to see him begging her not to leave him, to see him act like he couldn't survive without her. Now she felt horrible for ever feeling that way. She didn't deserve his affection or his love. He was one of the sweetest guys she had ever met. He never disrespected her or made her feel like crap like other guys did. He was such a good guy.

"I love you, too," she smiled sadly, "and I don't want to lose you either. But I need space, Sam. I have a lot going on right now and I need time to think about things."

Sam furrowed his eyebrows. "What things?" he asked. This is what worried him. He had no idea what was going on inside Quinn's head.

"Things. It doesn't matter what it is specifically. I need time for myself, Sam," she demanded. She was trying to be nice and compassionate towards him but it was hard to do so when all he did was ask questions like a five year old.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he rushed out. He didn't mean to upset her.

Quinn sighed. If it wouldn't cause more problems she would've broken up with Sam then and there. She didn't even want to think of the outrage that their break up would cause. They'd be rumors and speculation as to why they broke up. People would accuse Quinn of cheating on him because they always blame the girl for ruining the relationship, never the guy. It just wasn't in her best interest to terminate their relationship.

"I need you to trust me, Sam. A relationship doesn't work without trust. So trust me when I say that I'm going to be okay," she said sternly. She wanted him to get it into his thick head that she was going to be okay, even though she really wasn't at the moment.

Sam dropped his head like some wounded puppy and nodded. "Okay. I trust you," he smiled sadly. "I'm going to miss being with you at all the time though."

Quinn gave him a small smile and raised her hand to caress his cheek. "I'll miss you too."

Sam leaned down and kissed Quinn. The moment his lips touched hers everything suddenly felt awkward. She'd never felt this way before about kissing Sam. She usually enjoyed kissing him. It wasn't like she saw fireworks or felt a spark between them, but it had always felt nice to kiss him. Not anymore. It just felt uncomfortable. His lips were too big and they were completely out of sync.

"I'll call you, okay?" Quinn quickly pulled away. She was trying not to grimace but it was really difficult when she still had Sam's taste in her mouth. He tasted like Doritos.

"Okay, I'll be waiting," Sam smiled sadly as he walked back to the driver's side of his truck.

Quinn watched from her drive way as Sam drove away. Once he was out of sight she went back to her car and grabbed her things. As she walked up to her front door she wondered if her mother was going to be drunk or sober. She guessed it was the former since it was rare to see her mother sober these days.

When she walked into the house she was surprised by how quiet it was. Usually her mother sat in the living room watching trashy reality TV shows with a bottle of gin or vodka in her hand. This time though when Quinn walked into the living room her mother was nowhere in sight. She was actually starting to worry. Where could her mother be?

"Mom?" Quinn called out.

"I'm in the kitchen, honey," her mother called back. Her words weren't slurred so she wasn't drunk. Quinn's night was definitely turning out to be unusual.

The blonde walked towards the kitchen and was absolutely astounded to find her mother sitting at the kitchen table with a book in her hand instead of a glass of vodka.

"Mom?" she spoke.

Judy Fabray looked up and flashed her daughter a big smile. "Hey honey, how was the game?"

Quinn didn't answer. Instead she took a few steps forwards and looked at the books on the kitchen table. There were several of them.

"What's this?" Quinn asked as she picked up one of the books. "The Mortgage Loan Originator Handbook," she read aloud.

Judy stood up from her seat and grinned at the younger blonde. "I got a promotion at work!"

Quinn's eyes widened. "A promotion? How?"

She couldn't believe that her mother had gotten a promotion. Her mother could barely keep her shit together. When she didn't go to work late, she went hung over. She always appeared okay, but everybody knew that she wasn't. It just didn't make sense.

"My boss at the agency called me into her office today and told me that they were taking on more loan agents and that they were considering me for the job," her mother explained.

"But you're not a loan officer, mom. You're a real estate agent," Quinn told her.

"I know, Quinnie. But I could become one. All I have to do is take the exam and I could be both a real estate agent and a loan officer. You know what that means don't you? More money! I can make double the money I am now. I just have to put in a little more work," her mother said excitedly.

Quinn gave her mom a small smile. She didn't want to rain on her parade but she wasn't sure her mother was up for it.

"Mom, are you sure you want to do this? It's a lot of work." Quinn didn't know how to tell her that she might be biting off more than she can eat.

Judy sighed. "Look, I know that ever since your father left I've been a bit of a mess," she told her. Quinn snorted. "But I think it's time to move forward. I need to be an independent woman."

The younger blonde raised a brow. "Who are you and what have you done with my mother?"

Judy frowned. "I am being serious, Quinnie. I am tired of the pity looks I get everywhere I go. I also know that things haven't been easy for you because of me. I truly am sorry, honey."

Quinn shook her head. "No, I'm fine," she lied. Judy knew it, too, but she didn't say anything. Quinn was always like her father. She hid everything well.

"Well from now on I promise you that the only person you'll have to look after is yourself. It's time I start being a mother again."

Quinn was happy for her mother, but she still didn't know where all this was coming from. It was really confusing and just not normal.

"So does that mean no more drinking?" Quinn asked her.

Judy nodded. "I got rid of all the alcohol in the house."

"Good," Quinn said passively. "Well I'm going to go upstairs and go to sleep. I'm pretty tired."

"Ok," her mother smiled. "Good night, sweetie."

"Good night, mom," Quinn replied before heading up the stairs.

When she got to her room she dropped everything on the floor and threw herself on her bed. She didn't even care that she wasn't wearing her pajamas. All she wanted was to fall asleep and let her mind rest for a while. She was more mentally exhausted than physically. And not only did she have Rachel and Sam to worry about, now she had to worry about her mother.

Quinn took off her shoes and got under the comforter. She put her phone on her night stand and tried to sleep. It was difficult to say the least. When she wasn't thinking about how to help her mom, she was thinking of ways how to get Sam to fall out of love with her, and then those thoughts led to thoughts of Rachel.

"Dammit!" Quinn punched her mattress when she couldn't manage to fall asleep.

The blonde took a deep breath and tried to relax. She was almost to the point of relaxation when she heard her phone vibrate. Quinn reached over and grabbed her phone. She opened up the message and when she saw who it was from she exhaled shakily.

_Thanks for being my knight in shining armor. Sweet dreams, Quinn ;) – R* _

Quinn was literally struggling to breathe. Her smile was so big it was starting to hurt. The swelling in her chest made it hard for her to lie down so she sat up in bed. The blonde stared at the screen of her phone. She had to say something.

After typing, deleting, and retyping, she finally managed to reply to the brunette. She held her breath as she pressed send.

_Anything for a damsel in distress :) Good night, Rachel – Q_

Once she sent it she put her phone back on her night stand and lied back in bed. Her heart was still beating fast and the giddiness in her chest had yet to go away. Sleep was not going to come easy.

* * *

"Tell me everything!"

Rachel giggled as she held her phone to her ear. She had just walked into her room when she heard her phone ring. It was no surprise that it was Blaine calling to see how her night had gone. She definitely had some interesting things to tell him.

"Hey B, you have perfect timing. I just got home," she told him as she made her way to her closet. She really wanted to change into some shorts.

"I'm your best friend, I know things. Now tell me, how was your date with that one guy?" he asked eagerly.

Rachel chuckled. Her date had gone well but it wasn't her date with Noah that had her smiling like an idiot. She still couldn't stop smiling from her time with Quinn.

"It was great. We had dinner at this restaurant and talked. Though, I believe the best part of the date was when we walked out to the parking lot to find that his front tire had been slashed," she chuckled. It was definitely the best part of the date for her, not that she didn't enjoy herself at dinner. The food was okay and Noah was definitely an interesting individual.

"Wait, his tire was slashed and you found that to be the best part of the date? You might have to explain that one to me," he said bemused.

Rachel didn't know how to tell him about Quinn. She was sure he was going to be upset if she brought her up. Even though the blonde hadn't done anything to her in a week, Blaine was still not a big fan of her. She tried convincing him that Quinn was truly sorry for the things she had done to her but he wouldn't budge.

"Don't be mad at me, okay?" she warned him. She bit her lip in anticipation and sat down in her vanity chair.

"I don't like the sound of that, Rach. Did you have something to do with the slashed tire?" he asked.

"No! Definitely not! Who do you think I am, some criminal?" she ranted.

"Of course not," Blaine chuckled, "but you're making it seem like you did something that would upset me."

"Well the thing is… Noah's tire had gotten slashed so he decided to change his tire. It was really cold outside, like freezing, and somebody offered me a ride home. I couldn't say no to this person," she rambled.

Blaine sighed. Just by the tone of Rachel's voice he knew it was Quinn. He couldn't understand why Rachel was so fond of her. He had yet to tell her but he was pretty sure Rachel was infatuated with her.

"Let me guess, was it a beautiful head cheerleader who offered you a ride home?" he said with faux excitement.

Rachel frowned. She didn't like it when Blaine was sarcastic with her.

"She really isn't all that bad, Blaine. Today we even had a moment. We hugged! She said we were friends," Rachel tried explaining to him, again.

"Friends don't throw frozen beverages in ones face, Rach!" Blaine argued.

He was honestly getting tired of hearing about Quinn all the time. Ever since the blonde had supposedly apologized for her behavior Rachel had been talking about her non-stop. She talked about her having a husky voice that sounded sultry when she sang. Rachel practically sang her praises about the way the blonde sang and the only critique she had was that Quinn's voice was occasionally sharp. She also talked about how smart she was because she apparently had AP classes too. It was kind of annoying.

"Okay, okay, I see your point," Rachel relented. "But you weren't there when she apologized. She looked close to tears. I honestly believe she's truly sorry for the things she's done against me. I just really want to be her friend," she admitted.

Blaine threw his hands up in exasperation. Obviously Rachel couldn't see, but he was really irritated.

"Why do you desperately want to be her friend? You can make other friends. What about Kurt and the kids from glee? Do you really need to be friends with _her_?"

Rachel shook her head. He just didn't get it. Quinn was the first ever girl she had ever wanted to be friends with. All throughout her childhood she was always friends with boys. Girls just didn't like her and if she was quite honest she didn't like them either.

"Listen B, I love you. You are the best friend in the world. I've known you since we were kids. But you're a guy. You may be gay so we have a little more in common but you're a guy and sometimes I need a girl to talk to. You know that I've never really had girlfriends before-"

"Harmony's your friend," Blaine interjected.

"Harmony is Jesse's girlfriend, which means she's my friend by proxy. It's not the same. Quinn is the first girl who seems to want me as a friend. Sure she was a bit of a bully at first, but I accepted her apology. She really is a good person. You just need to meet her to see it," the brunette explained.

"Are you sure you're not like in love with her? Because you sound a bit obsessed to me," he told her cheekily.

Rachel's eyes widened. "No! It's not like that, Blaine," she argued. The swelling in her chest was unexpected but she chose to ignore it. It didn't mean anything.

"Well it sure seems like it, Rach. It sounds like you have some huge crush on her. You're always talking about how you need to be her friend and how pretty she is."

Blaine knew he was being a bit of an asshole but he couldn't help it. He was tired and a bit jealous if he was being honest. He just didn't want to admit it. Rachel had been his best friend since they were children and all of a sudden she was obsessed with becoming friends with some cheerleader from Lima, Ohio.

"Why are you being like this? Aren't you happy for me? Out of everyone I thought you'd be the one to be happy for me. I'm making friends. People here actually like me, Blaine!" Rachel yelled.

Blaine felt guilty for what he had said and regretted it. It wasn't that he wasn't happy for her; it was just that he felt so disconnected from her.

"I'm sorry, Rach. I didn't mean to upset you. Of course I'm happy for you. I guess I just really miss you," he sighed.

The brunette wasn't quite forgiving of him but she did calm down a little.

"I miss you too, but I'm hurt. I thought since you were my best friend you would support me in everything that I do. I would think you'd trust me to make decisions on my own," the brunette cried.

"I do-" Blaine tried to argue but was cut off.

"Then stop worrying about Quinn. I trust her, okay? We're friends now and I've forgiven all of her past actions against me. I feel a connection with her that I've never felt with anybody else. Just trust me," she pleaded.

Blaine believed that what Rachel felt for Quinn was a little more than just a connection, but he wasn't going to say anything. He had already pissed her off and he didn't want to upset her even more. He didn't like it when the brunette was upset with him and so he preferred to just keep his mouth shut. But he definitely wasn't going to let it go. He was just going to have to keep asking Rachel for updates on her 'friendship' with Quinn.

"I trust you, Rach. I promise you I won't ever fight with you about this ever again. I understand that sometimes you need more than one friend and seeing as most of your friends are guys, I get why you finally want to have a girl around. You know, to talk about menstrual cycles with," he joked.

Rachel tried to fight it but she couldn't help but let out a chuckle. She couldn't stay mad at Blaine for long. It was impossible.

"You're an ass," she laughed, teary eyed.

"I know I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you, okay?" he told her.

"Okay," she smiled.

"Now tell me about how your time with Quinn went," Blaine inquired. He was actually very curious about how her evening had gone.

Rachel told him everything that happened from when she walked out of Breadstix to when she walked into her house after being dropped off. She even told him what Quinn had revealed to her about not being in love with Sam. It definitely caught his attention.

"So why is she with Sam if she's not in love with him?" Blaine asked.

Rachel hopped into bed and got under the covers. She was finally dressed in her pajamas and ready for bed.

"I'm not sure, maybe for comfort? All I know is that Sam is a really sweet guy and he loves Quinn very much," she told him.

"He might be in love but Quinn clearly can't give Sam the love he deserves. And they're having problems already so it's obvious that they should just break up," Blaine commented.

Rachel knew that Blaine was right, and even though nobody but Sam and Quinn had a say in their relationship, it really was the best option. But it kind of broke her heart to think of how devastated Sam would be if they ever did end their relationship. At school He had cried just at the thought of breaking up, she could only imagine what would happen if it actually happened. She just wished she could help them.

"Rach, you're thinking way too much about it. I can't see your face but your silence is telling me everything. It's not your problem. Don't worry about it."

Rachel smiled into the phone. Blaine knew her too well. They weren't even in the same room and he knew what she was thinking.

"Have I told you today how much I love you?" she giggled.

"Actually no, but it's okay cause I was a bit of a jerk earlier. Just don't stress about Quinn and Sam's problems okay? I know that they're your… friends, now," Blaine hesitated, "but it's not your problem. They have to figure it out on their own. So don't go playing marriage counselor, okay? Cause I know you, Rachel Berry."

_Damn him, _Rachel thought.

"Okay," she sighed.

"Good. Now I'll talk to you tomorrow. It's almost midnight and I know you're exhausted," he replied.

Rachel agreed. She _was_ a bit tired and it _was_ past her usual bedtime. Her eyes were already getting droopy.

"Okay, good night. I love you, B," she yawned into the phone. She heard Blaine chuckle on the other side.

"Good night, Rach. I love you, too. Talk to you tomorrow. Bye," he said before hanging up.

Rachel was about to put her phone on her nightstand so she could go to sleep but she couldn't stop thinking about Quinn. She knew it was really late but she knew there was no harm in sending the blonde a harmless 'good night' text. It was the least she could do for everything she had done for her that night.

She typed out a quick message and sent it with a smile on her face. She didn't know whether to put her phone on her nightstand or keep it with her in case the blonde replied. She ultimately decided to keep it by her side just in case. She closed her eyes to go to sleep but the anticipation of possibly getting a response from Quinn didn't let her easily drift off into sleep. A few minutes later her phone chimed. It was a message from Quinn.

Rachel beamed as she read the blonde's message and even let out a small squeal. Her relationship with Quinn was definitely getting better. If her text was anything to go by, the two would be best friends sooner than expected.

The next morning Rachel woke up at 9 AM to her cell phone ringing right next to her pillow. She couldn't ignore it so she answered it without even looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" she answered groggily.

"And here I thought you were a morning person," the person on the other side quipped. A small smile pulled on Rachel's lips.

"Well good morning to you too, Kurt," she chuckled as she stretched out. She loved having a big bed.

"You told me that you usually woke up around 8 on weekends. You sound like you just woke up."

The brunette laughed. Kurt was a good listener. "I usually _do._ But I got home pretty late last night and didn't go to sleep until midnight. Thank you for waking me up, though."

"Speaking of last night, how did your date with Puckerman go? Please don't tell me that he actually convinced you to date him?" he inquired.

"It went well, and no, I'm still not dating him. I actually told him we could only be friends. He took it really well," Rachel explained.

"That's a first. He must really like you. Good for you, now I don't have to worry about him corrupting you."

The brunette shook her head and laughed. She sat up in bed and fixed her messy hair. She didn't have to look into a mirror to see that she had ridiculous bed head.

"So what are doing today?" Kurt asked.

Rachel didn't have a clue to what she was going to do that day. She didn't have anything planned. Usually her father suggested they do something but he hadn't said anything the night before.

"I don't believe I have anything planned. What about you?" She asked as she got out of bed. It was time to get ready for the day.

"Ignore Finn. Pretty much the same thing I do every day. God, my life is boring," Kurt complained.

Rachel laughed. "Maybe you should come over. I can give you that tour you wanted."

"Are you serious? Because I will be there in five minutes. Not kidding," he said seriously.

"Yes, I'm serious. I just have to ask my dad to see if he has anything planned for today," she giggled.

"In that case, let me start picking out my outfit. I'm still in my pajamas."

"Okay, I'll call you to confirm once I've talked to my dad," she said happily.

The two said their goodbyes and Rachel headed straight to the shower. She was in there for thirty minutes and then stepped out when her fingers started to get pruny. After putting on her bathrobe she went into her closet to look for something to wear. She heard a knock on her door and figured it was her dad so she called out to him to come in.

"Hey sweetie, I thought that maybe you were still asleep," she heard her father's voice come from her bedroom. She walked out of her closet to find him sitting on her bed. He was still in his sleep pants and t-shirt.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, just getting ready for the day," she beamed. "Did you have anything planned for the day? Because I invited Kurt to come over. I hope that's okay with you?" she asked.

"Actually, I have to head in to the office for a few hours. I was going ask you if you wanted to come along but seeing as you're already expecting company I think we know that answer to that," he grinned.

Rachel frowned. "Daddy, if you want me to come with you I can tell Kurt that he can come over some other time. I don't mind."

Hiram shook his head. "No, honey, it's fine. I promise. I think it's actually better that you have Kurt come over and keep you company. You'd be so bored at the office. I'm only going to be there until one o'clock so I'll be back in time for lunch. Make sure to invite Kurt. I want to get to know him better."

The brunette smiled and nodded her head. "Okay."

"Good. Now I made you breakfast. Vegan blueberry pancakes," he said proudly. "I'm going to go and change into something more suitable for work. As much as I would love to go into work in my pajamas my assistant would give me hell for it. So, go eat and I'll let you know when I'm heading out," Hiram stood from the bed and gave his daughter a kiss on her forehead.

After Hiram left her room Rachel finished getting dressed and went downstairs to have breakfast. Her father's blueberry pancakes were surprisingly delicious. She loved having her father cook for her. Once she was finished her father came downstairs to say goodbye before leaving to work. He was no longer dressed in his pajamas but in some jeans and a button up.

Rachel called Kurt to let him know he could go over once her dad left the house. He was so excited when she called that he promised to be there in five minutes.

Once Kurt arrived Rachel started off the tour with the downstairs and then headed upstairs. Kurt had to sit down a couple of times from the amazement.

As they talked, Kurt had inquired about Rachel's date with Puck. He was surprised to hear how much Rachel had actually enjoyed herself and was glad to know that Puckerman had accepted her friendship instead.

Rachel also told him about Quinn and how she had given her a ride home. Kurt was a bit surprised by that. It definitely added to his suspicions about Quinn having crush on Rachel. But the way Rachel had talked to him about it had also added to the suspicions that Rachel herself could also possibly have a bit of a crush on the head Cheerio. After the brunette showed him the text she had sent Quinn the night before, he was absolutely sure some feelings were there. He just didn't know if Rachel herself had grasped them yet.

They finished the tour in the backyard and ended up lounging by the pool. It was a nice day out, not too hot nor too cold so the sun wasn't scalding. It was almost noon when Hiram called to tell Rachel he was getting out of work thirty minutes earlier than expected and that she should order a pizza for lunch. Kurt of course agreed to stay to have lunch with the Berry's and helped Rachel pick a suitable pizza parlor to order from.

Rachel ended up ordering an extra-large pepperoni pizza for Kurt and her dad―because they were carnivores—and a small vegan pizza for herself. After thirty minutes she was alerted that someone was at the security gate and checked the camera. She was surprised to see someone very familiar.

"Sam?" she spoke into the control panel she had in her hands. He was wearing a Tony's Pizza shirt.

"Rachel? Is that you?" He spoke as he stuck his head out of his truck window and into the camera that was installed in the security panel. Rachel laughed at the sight. His lips looked huge.

"Yes Sam, it's me. Go ahead and come in," said as she opened the gate.

She put down the control panel and loved over at Kurt who was sun bathing on one of the loungers. He was really enjoying himself.

"Kurt did you know that Sam delivered pizzas?"

The boy turned to her and nodded. "Yeah, he's been doing that for a while now. He gives my dad a discount when we go in."

Rachel found it interesting. None of the kids at her old school had jobs. It was just a perk of being a rich kid. She was actually quite impressed. It took a lot of responsibility to have a job. She definitely gave Sam brownie points for that.

"Okay well I'll be right back," she told the boy and took off inside.

Rachel grabbed the money her dad had left her on the kitchen counter and practically ran to the front of the house. When she opened the front door Sam was barely getting out of his truck. He was looking up at her house in amazement.

"Rachel, your house is freakin' awesome," he said in awe as she approached him.

The brunette chuckled. "Thanks. I wasn't expecting you to be the one to deliver my pizza but it's definitely a lovely surprise."

"Oh," he blushed, "I kind of asked if I could deliver it to you. I heard that someone had ordered a pizza for the Berry mansion and I figured it was your place since your last name is Berry and you're like rich, so yea."

Rachel couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, well this is my place. I'm glad you offered. It's nice to see a familiar face."

Sam just gave her a goofy smile. She found it charming.

"Congratulations by the way. You did amazing last night. I told Noah last night that I hope to attend more games," she told him.

"Thanks," he said bashfully, "It was cool that you went. Did you have fun on your date?"

Rachel nodded. "It was great. But I don't think we'll be going on anymore dates. We're better just as friends."

Sam's eyes widened. "Oh, well that's cool. He wasn't bummed or anything was he?"

The brunette shook her head. "Oh no, he was okay with it. I think he even got this girl's number on the way out of Breadstix," she told him.

Sam laughed and shook his head. "Sounds like him."

"What about you?" Rachel asked. "How was David's party? You didn't have too much fun, did you?" She teased.

The blond smiled sadly and shook his head. Rachel frowned.

"I actually left early. I was only there for like an hour and then I left. I went to Quinn's house. I remember what you told me about talking to her about space and all that."

Rachel's heart swelled at the mention of Quinn.

"Oh? And how did that go, if you don't mind me asking," she rasped out.

He only shrugged. "It was okay, I guess. When I got there she wasn't home so I had to wait for her and then when she did get there she didn't really talk. I had to beg her to talk to me. I told her I was sorry for smothering her and that I was only worried and then she told me she was sorry at yelling at me. She told me she needed space to think about things. That she had a lot going on and that I just needed to trust her," he said sadly.

Rachel swallowed hard. Her feelings were so conflicted at the moment that she couldn't even think properly. She wanted Sam to be happy with Quinn, but she also knew that Quinn was not in love with Sam like he believed she did. Also, Rachel hoped that whatever Quinn needed to think about wasn't anything related to what they had discussed last night. She didn't want to be the reason the two broke up. She was, after all, the one who brought up the subject of falling in love. What if Quinn had realized that it wasn't worth holding on to Sam when she was only going to end up hurting him even more later on and decided it was best to break up with him? There was only was solution to the problem.

"You need to make her fall in love with you," she said out loud without thinking. Immediately she cursed herself for opening up her big mouth.

"What?" Sam looked at her with big eyes, "You think maybe she's not in love with me anymore?" he asked.

Rachel mentally face palmed herself. She was making things worse.

"No! No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying that you have to keep drawing her in. Make her fall in love with you more. You guys have been in a relationship for a while now and she just needs a little reminder of why she fell in love with you in the first place. You get me?"

A big smile spread across Sam's face. "Yeah! I totally do! I just have to, like, make her my girlfriend again."

Rachel nodded. "Yes, exactly! But this time has to be different. It can't be the same way you did it the first time. You have to show her that you have more to offer," she suggested.

Sam looked a bit intimidated by the notion but nodded. "Okay, cool. I know what you're saying. But can you help me?"

Rachel's brows furrowed. "You want me to help you?"

"Yeah, you can help me make her fall in love with me all over again. Come on, Rachel. You're a girl, you know what girls like. I could totally use your help. Please?" he begged.

The brunette watched as the blond boy literally got on his knees and begged. She couldn't say no.

"Okay, I'll help you," she told him tentatively.

"Awesome!" he jumped up and hugged the tiny girl. "We can totally come up with a plan. Can I like call you when I get out of work?"

Rachel just nodded.

Sam asked for Rachel's phone number and the brunette had no choice but to give it to him. She thought she would feel a little better by suggesting the idea but the only thing she felt was dread and an ache in her chest.

"Okay so I'll text you or call you when I get off and we can come up with a plan. You are so awesome, Rachel. Thank you so much," he said as he went back to truck and grabbed the pizzas from the passenger seat.

"Here, free of charge," he smiled as he handed Rachel the pizzas.

"No Sam, I couldn't possibly accept these without paying," she argued.

Sam only shook his head and went back to his truck. "No, you're my friend and you're helping me out. I'll call you later," he said before getting into the driver seat.

Rachel only managed to wave at him as he drove away. She stood there waiting for him to be out of sight before she went back inside her house. She walked into the kitchen and found Kurt standing by the island. He raised a brow when he saw her.

"What's wrong with you? You look catatonic," he told her.

She just stood there and looked at him.

"I think I just made a huge mistake."

* * *

**What do you guys think? I really need to know so that I can write the next chapter. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
